Letters
by FeudalAi
Summary: For nearly six years now, Kagome had mailed Inuyasha letters updating him on their baby girl's life. For nearly six years she had never once received any kind of response from him. After they encounter each other at Miroku and Sango's house, nothing will ever be the same for them. They are tied, bound, forever, by the adorable silver-haired girl they had created. Modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

Kagome sighed as she ran a hand through her thick black hair. She looked sadly down at the envelope she had just sealed, a handwritten letter and a few pictures inside, knowing that she would probably never receive a response. She stood up from the small desk in her living room and walked out of the front door into the cool morning air outside. She eyed the mailbox across the street apprehensively. She hated mailing these letters, but still, she knew he deserved to know what happened in their daughter's life.

Even so, after nearly six years she had never once received a response from Inuyasha.

Her fingers gently ran over the smooth envelope clutched lightly in her hands as she wondered if she should even bother sending it. Inuyasha and her… They had been so good together. But, then he had become distant and on one tear filled night he had finally admitted what she had long feared, that he was curious about another woman. He hadn't done anything, but he wanted to.

That realization had hit her like a freight truck.

She had released him, right then and there. She wasn't going to stick around and wait for him to sort out his confused feelings, she wasn't going to demote their relationship to only dating so he could see other people, she simply wasn't going to deal with it. She had more self-respect than that. He had left her apartment, ears down, eyes sad, and she had never seen or heard from him since.

It was about a month after he had left that she had found out she was pregnant. When she was six months along she finally worked up the nerve to tell him. She had sent him a letter explaining that he didn't need to be in her or the baby's life, but that door was open if he wanted it. She had included two ultrasound pictures.

She had waited nervously for weeks after that, expecting to at least get some kind of reaction from him, but one never came.

So, she sent him another letter after their daughter, Haruna, was born. She included a couple pictures and she had really, really, hoped that she would get a response. She would hold their silver-haired baby girl every night and wait for a letter to come.

She could never explain to herself why she didn't just call, or even email, him. But, she could never work up the nerve. She knew it was weak, but at least she was doing something, right?

She sent him a letter on each of Haruna's birthdays. Haruna was five now. That was five years worth of pictures of their little girl growing up. When they moved, and they had a few times, she would always send him their new address… Just in case he decided to show up.

She sucked in a deep breath and made herself push the envelope into the mail box. Today's letters had pictures of Haruna's first day of school. Kagome had been so nervous to let her little girl go to kindergarten, but Haruna just wanted to dive in. She was smart. Very smart. She already knew her ABC's, her color's, and could count to twenty all by herself. Kagome had just started her on some basic learning and Haruna really loved reading Dr. Seuss. The images and funny words always made her laugh as Kagome made voices for each of the unique-looking characters.

Kagome walked slowly back into the house and went to wake up her sleepy little girl. Haruna's hair was exactly like her father's, but she didn't have the doggy ears to go along with it. After all, she was only quarter-demon. Haruna rolled over sleepily and opened her bright golden eyes.

Kagome couldn't help but smile.

Those eyes reminded her so much of Inuyasha… Of the good times… She loved that Haruna had inherited that from her father.

"Time to get up, we are going to visit some special people today, remember?"

Haruna's bright smile lit up the room as her little body suddenly jumped up in excitement. She had run across the room to start pulling on close faster than Kagome could see. She had inherited Inuyasha's speed…

Kagome's eyes trailed over to the nightstand beside Haruna's bed. A picture in an old frame sat there and greeted her with unwanted memories. Inuyasha was smirking up at the camera, his doggy ears at full attention. She remembered taking that picture…

She had never wanted Haruna to grow up without a father, so she had told her little girl all about Inuyasha. She had shown her pictures, she had told her stories, she had let him be in her life as best as she could without him actually being present. Still, when Haruna would ask where her daddy was it broke Kagome's heart every time she had to answer with the brutal, honest, truth, "I don't know".

A little hand tugged at her shirt breaking her from her reverie. She looked back at the little girl beside her, now nicely dressed in a long brown dress and white tights. It had amazed Kagome the first time Haruna had dressed herself without needing any assistance. But, now, it was something she had come to expect. Haruna was so smart, so talented, and still so young… It took her breath away.

"Come on Mommy! You're taking forever…" Haruna drew out the word 'forever' and finished it with a flourish of her hands in the air to demonstrate her frustration. "I wanna meet Auntie Sango!"

Kagome smiled at her and bent down to pick her up. "Ok, ok, here we go."

Haruna frowned at her. "I'm not a baby Mommy."

Kagome laughed lightly and sat her little girl down on the floor, taking her hand instead. "You'll always be my little girl."

Haruna huffed and Kagome heard a small "keh". She was so much like her father sometimes…

Sango had only recently learned about Haruna. Kagome had moved away and had only returned within the last month so that she could enroll Haruna in an advanced elementary school. The only people who had known about the pregnancy and Haruna from the start was her family. She simply hadn't been able to tell Sango… a part of her feared that if Sango knew, then Miroku would know, then they would force Inuyasha into doing something that he didn't want to do. She knew it was stupid of her. She knew it was irrational to block out her best friend for the last several years.

But, she was growing up now and was darn well going to fix her mistakes.

During the car ride Haruna happily chatted about what she had learned in her first week of school. She told her mom excitedly about her teacher, Ms. Kaede, and all the fun things they had done. Her liquid voice floated throughout the car and made the drive seem even shorter than it was.

Kagome pulled up in front of Sango and Miroku's house and had to steady her nerves. It had been over five years since she had seen them last. It had been so hard to be around them after her split with Inuyasha. They were his friends too, so there would have been no escaping him and his new girlfriend.

Kagome had loved him. She had loved him beyond what feeble words could express. She had given him everything, she had belonged to him heart, mind, body, and soul. Simply, he had been her entire world.

The fall from that high had been excruciating. The only thing that had gotten her through it was Haruna. It was a little piece of him that she still had, that she could cling to. Haruna was a gift that showed her what it was to love someone wholly and truly from the first moment you saw them. It can't be explained, the love a mother feels for their child. It's an insurmountable and unbeatable kind of love.

With newfound determination she opened her door before carefully letting Haruna out of the backseat. In a flash, Haruna was at the front door, ringing the door bell. Kagome had to run to catch up and had only just reached the door when a certain Monk opened it.

"Kagome…" He simply looked stunned. He stood there staring at her before his eyes trailed down to the little girl excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Are you Uncle Moku?"

"Miroku…" He corrected softly as he looked up at Kagome, a question floating unspoken in his eyes.

"Miroku who is that?" A brown haired woman appeared behind Miroku before an excited grin broke out on her face.

Kagome couldn't help herself, she took two giant steps forward and wrapped Sango in a tight hug. Sango's arms encircled her before she pulled back a moment later.

"So, you didn't tell Miroku we were coming?"

Sango leaned back and her lips turned up into a smirk as she looked at her husbands shocked face. "I thought it would be more fun as a surprise." Sango bent down and turned her attention to the extremely eager little girl next to Kagome. "And you must be Haruna." Sango's smile was an open invitation.

"Auntie Sango!" Haruna threw open her little arms and encased Sango in a sweet hug. She had heard stories about Sango and Miroku all her life, and now she was finally getting to meet them, Kagome assumed it probably felt like meeting a famous person.

"Well, come on in, the twins are in the backyard."

Kagome's eyebrows wrinkled up, confused, before Sango's amused laughter reached her.

"We have a lot to catch up on."

Three hours later and they had finally caught up on each other's lives. Sango and Miroku had two twin daughters, Amarante and Chiho, about a year younger than Haruna, plus a five month old son named Katsuro. Sango ran her own dojo and had become well respected within the area and MIroku had become a professor on the use of the Spiritual Arts at a local college. Eventually, the discussion floated back to a certain silver-haired little girl who was now excitedly running around the backyard with Amarante and Chiho.

Miroku was the first to speak. "Does Inuyasha know?"

The question confused and it took her a minute to reply. "What do you mean?"

Miroku's eyes hardened slightly. "Does Inuyasha know about Haruna?"

Kagome looked at them, flabbergasted, for a moment before she could manage a response. "What do you mean, 'does Inuyasha know'? I have been sending him letters and pictures constantly for over five years!" Her voice was raised and her anger seeped through. Her eyes instantly flickered out to the yard where she saw Haruna freeze for a moment. Golden eyes met hers and Kagome smiled sweetly, motioning for her to go back to playing. Haruna didn't smile back, but she did rejoin the twins.

"Kagome… I don't think he knows." Sango's voice was soft and patient.

"How could he not? I've sent so many letters, so many pictures… I wanted him in her life."

"I think if he knew he would have told me." Miroku's voice was firm. His arms crossed against his chest as he leaned back in his chair and closed her eyes. "He would do something, I know he would, he wouldn't just ignore you."

It was silent for a few minutes, an unspoken tension lingering in the air.

"But, he didn't, did he?" Kagome huffed. "He didn't do anything. He forgot about me the minute he could finally be with whoever that woman was that he wanted to 'know'". Kagome put air quotes sarcastically around the word 'know', clearly implying that he wanted more than to just get to know her personality.

Miroku flinched.

"But, if you have been sending him letters, would the Inuyasha you knew have never replied?" Sango's question rang out in the space between them and Kagome allowed herself to be painfully honest with her long-time best friend.

"No, the Inuyasha I knew would have replied." She sighed deeply. "But, I clearly didn't know him that well, did I?"

Everything was quiet for a moment, the sound of the girls laughter floating back to them, easing the sudden discomfort in the room. Kagome was about to speak again when the doorbell rang making her jump slightly.

"Who's that?"

Miroku's suddenly guilty face spoke volumes. "I… I didn't know Kagome was coming over."

"So?" Sango looked at him accusingly. "Who is that Miroku? You didn't tell me we had guests coming over."

"And neither did you…" The couple stared at each other for a minute before there was a loud pounding on the door.

"Hey, monk, let me in already!"

Kagome froze.

She knew that voice.

She may not have heard it in nearly six years, but that voice was engraved upon her soul .

"It's Inuyasha…" She muttered, her voice faint, as her heart sped erratically out of control.

"Monk!" Inuyasha's voice rang out, it was so loud that even the girls outside stopped to listen to the new visitor.

"I'm coming!" Miroku shouted as he scurried to the door. Sango gave her a sympathetic look.

"Maybe, maybe its for the best? Maybe he really doesn't know?"

Kagome could only manage to nod, numbly, in response.

"Took ya long enough monk." Inuyasha's voice was filled with its usual playful frustration. Her back was facing where he would be entering and she was thankful for that. She could feel it as soon as he entered the room. She could feel his presence and it felt weird to have his aura surround her again. She gasped slightly as she felt him walk closer. She had temporarily tuned out so she quickly focused back on what she could hear the two men behind her saying.

"We have another visitor today, I didn't know, Sango here surprised me."

Sango laughed nervously as Miroku and Inuyasha walked through the open planned living room and were about to step through the screen door onto the porch where they were siting.

"Who?"

Nobody answered him.

Kagome heard the squeak of the screen door opening and she forcibly plastered a smile onto her face, hoping that it didn't look too fake, she somehow found the nerve to turn her head around.

The look of shock on his face was priceless.

"Ka… Kagome?" He sounded unsure, like the woman in front of him was somehow a mirage and not actually real.

"Long time no see, Inuyasha." Her voice held a bit more venom in it than she had wished so she quickly shut her mouth and turned back around to face Sango again. Sango's eyes were flashing between Inuyasha and herself and Kagome couldn't help but wonder what Inuyasha's face looked like in that moment. Miroku walked back around the table to sit down nervously beside his wife while Inuyasha hesitantly took the only seat left open, the one to Kagome's right.

She couldn't help but let her eyes flicker over to him. She loved his doggy-ears and a sudden need to touch them swarmed up through her, but she squashed it as best as she could. Their eyes connected for a minute and a ball of confusion began to sprout inside of her. His eyes… There was something in them that she couldn't quite pin down. Confusion, hurt, surprise… Longing?

She shook her head of the thought.

With an overly chipper voice she turned back to her friends across from her. "So, Miroku and Sango here have just been updating me on their lives. What about you Inuyasha, how are you?"

She found herself desperately wanting to know, yet dreading learning, about his life and relationships.

"Go-od." Was all she got in response. It had come out stuttered, as if his brain still hadn't caught up with what his eyes could see.

"Okay then…" She trailed off before her eyes reflexively looked for her daughter.

When she saw her time froze. The little golden eyed girl was staring at Inuyasha, small mouth agape in wonder.

Kagome could feel a small bit of panic well up inside her.

She tried to smile reassuringly at Haruna, hoping that she would just go back to playing with the twins, but that was not the case. The little girl started walking slowly up to her, the slowest Kagome had ever seen her walk. It was as if she was hesitant, evaluating her Mom and the silver-haired man next to her that she knew was her father.

Kagome sucked in a deep breath and steadied her nerves. This was going to happen whether she was ready for it or not. She could feel Inuyasha's eyes boring into the side of her head, but she couldn't remove her own stare from her ever-approaching daughter. Inuyasha hadn't even noticed the small girl yet.

Quicker than Kagome had hoped, faster than she could mentally prepare herself, Haruna was walking faster her and tugging on Inuyasha's sleeve. That broke him from his frozen state as gold eyes lowered to meet an identical pair.

Kagome thought that she might die of nerves right then and there.

Yet, she didn't know why she felt so nervous. She had sent him letters after all…

But, what if what Miroku and Sango had said was true? What if he had never gotten then? Then, this would be the moment he learned he had a daughter.

Oh, how she wished she could just go back in time, pick up the phone, and tell him it straight.

Haruna smiled nervously up at the man in front of her. "Inuyasha?" Her voice was full of curiosity.

Inuyasha's mouth turned up into his trademarked smirk. "Yea? What of it? Who are you?" His eyes flashed over to Miroku's, but Miroku only sat there frozen watching the scene in front of him.

Haruna's bright eyes turned back to Kagome. "Is it really him, Mommy?"

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled up in confusion. "Mommy? Wha… Kagome you had a kid?"

She couldn't help but feel slightly offended by the shocked tone he had said that in, as if she had somehow betrayed him by having a family. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she glared at him before she turned to look back at her daughter, her look softening at Haruna's excited expression.

"Yes, Haruna…" Kagome's eyes trailed up to meet Inuyasha's once more before she returned her sole attention to the small girl in front of her. "That's your Daddy."

She heard a gasp from the man beside her, but she kept her focus on Haruna's growing smile. With a soft smile of her own she gently grabbed her daughter's shoulders and spun her around to face her father again. "Meet your Daddy, Haruna. It's ok, say hi."

She could sense Haruna's sudden, and out of character, nerves so she nudged her little girl a bit towards the wide eyed half-demon.

"Hi, Daddy."

Inuyasha's eyes were glued on the little girl before him, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Hi…" He sputtered out.

Haruna's big smile was back on her face, all nerves gone, as she turned back to flash the smile at her mother.

"Why don't you go back and play with Amarante and Chiho?"

Haruna's smile slipped slightly, but she smiled and obediently listened to her mother. She knew not to mess around when Kagome gave her that, 'do as your told' look.

As soon as Haruna left the table went silent.

A cry suddenly echoed through the baby monitor and Sango stood up, glanced back at Kagome once, and then was off to take care of Katsuro.

"I have a kid…" Inuyasha's voice was so soft she barely even heard it. Miroku flashed her a, 'I told ya he didn't know' look and she winced slightly. Inuyasha's eyes trailed after the girl running around the yard before he stiffened and turned an accusatory look at her. "Why didn't you tell me, Kagome?"

Kagome sat frozen and terrified. She had tried to tell him… Could he have really never received a single one of her letters? She gulped and steadied herself before continuing, her own defiant and stubborn look meeting his.

"I did."

"No, you didn't."

They glared at each other, a confusing tension settling between them before Kagome broke the silence.

"Check your mail. I sent you letters, Inuyasha." His eyes widened slightly. "I have sent you letters and pictures ever since I found out I was pregnant."

Her words hung in the air around them as an apparent realization molded across Inuyasha's voice. Miroku sat very still across the table from them, anxiously awaiting to see how this debacle would turn out.

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha said the name with so much anger and pain that Kagome winced before her own pain rushed up inside of her.

"Who's Kikyo?"

His angry look immediately turned into one of guilt and he looked away, one ear glued on her while the other twisted to follow Haruna's erratic path. When he didn't reply she repeated the question.

"Inuyasha, who is Kikyo?"

He turned to look back at her and she noticed the way his ears bent back and laid flat against his head, as if he felt ashamed and guilty about what he was about to tell her.

"Spit it out already." The venom was back in her voice, but she didn't try to suppress it this time.

"My fiancé." His eyes couldn't meet hers. She turned her body away from him and tried not to let any tears that were now pricking her eyes fall.

How could that hurt so much?

Why? Why after all these years did it still hurt so much to hear that he was with someone else?

She knew why… She had always known why… Even though she had try to muffle it, tired to strangled it, she still loved him. She loved him, and she always would.

With a deep breath she swallowed her pain and looked back at him, his eyes meeting hers uncertainly. "Congratulations." It came out stiff, forced, and all of a sudden she just wanted to be gone from that place.

She abruptly stood up and walked towards the screen door, Inuyasha's eyes were fixed on her, following her every move, as his brain tried to adjust to the new reality that surrounded him. Kagome looked out into the yard and felt a sudden pang of guilt at having to drag Haruna away. She could tell her daughter was having fun. Haruna didn't have a lot of friends here, not since they had just moved and she had started school. Kagome winced slightly before she steadied herself, she knew she couldn't be here a moment longer or else she might just burst out into tears.

"Haruna, we need to leave sweetie."

The little girl bounded over to her with her slightly demonic speed and stopped before looking up at her mother confused. "Do we have to Mommy? I'm having fun! And…" Her eyes trailed over to the dog-eared man. "I finally got to meet Daddy!" Her little hands clapped together excitedly before and her eyes glowed with happiness.

Kagome forced a smile. "I know, but Mommy needs to leave now. We will come back soon, ok?"

Haruna's excited smile fell and a suddenly somber look spread across her face. Kagome didn't like it. "Ok, Mommy." Haruna looked toward Inuyasha again and the sight of him made her smile. "Buh-bye Daddy!" She waved at him and quirked her head, her silver hair falling slightly to expose her human ears. Kagome took her small hand and walked through the screen door, into the open plan living room and kitchen.

Sango was inside bouncing little Katsuro in her arms. She smiled warmly at her friend and walked over to her. Kagome reached out to the baby who quickly grabbed hold of her index finger, squeezing tightly.

"Nice to meet you, Katsuro." He had Miroku's eyes and Sango's hair. In short, he was simply adorable. Sango frowned slightly as she looked at her.

"You know, you don't have to leave Kagome."

Kagome's pained eyes rose to meet hers. "He has a fiancé."

Sango stared back at her before a resigned sigh left her. "I know…"

"We will visit again, soon, I promise. I just…" Kagome trailed off, mentally begging Sango to understand.

"Ok, Kagome. Just as long as you really do visit again, and soon… Remember, you can always call me."

Kagome smiled thankfully at her before turning and leaving the house, Inuyasha, and her sadness behind.

That night as she tucked a tired Haruna into bed she asked the question that Kagome had been dreading hearing.

"Mommy… will I see Daddy again?" Her little face scrunched up in worry and Kagome felt a deep pang within her heart. She knelt next to the bed and carefully tucked the covers around Haruna.

"I hope so… but, that's his choice Haruna. You know he is not with Mommy right?"

Haruna's little head bobbed 'yes'.

"Daddy is with another woman. He is happy."

At this, Haruna looked confused. "Does Daddy want me?"

Kagome's heart shattered. What could she tell her? How could she tell her that Inuyasha didn't even know she existed before today? How could tell her that after her daughter had seen the letters being mailed, she had even included some of her own drawings… Haruna was always so excited to include a picture she made in the letter that Mommy sent to Daddy… How could she tell her that she didn't know if Inuyasha wanted to be a part of their life? After all, he was about to start a life with someone else.

Still, she forced on a smile and hoped Haruna's keen nose wouldn't be able to detect the lie. "Of course he does. I hope we will see him again."

Haruna's little eyes flickered closed as her hand reached out to grab Kagome's. A small smile spread across her face as she continued to talk in a half-asleep voice. "Daddy really does have doggy-ears…" She trailed off and for a moment she thought Haruna had fallen asleep, until she felt Haruna squeeze her hand slightly and mumble, "I love you, Mommy."

Kagome sat down fully and leaned against the bed. She fell asleep like that, with Haruna holding her hand and her head resting awkwardly against the side of the bed, ensuring her a sore neck the next day. She fell asleep to dreams of the past, to dreams about Inuyasha, the happy times before she had ever felt the excruciating pain of knowing the man you loved more than anything wanted to be with someone else. She fell asleep to dreams of what could have been… Of Inuyasha, Haruna, and her… One big happy, non-messed up, family.

~ Author's Note ~

So, I just had the sudden urge to write this. I was originally thinking of doing it in three parts, but now I'm not so sure. Should it be longer? Shorter? What do you think? Should I continue it?

Please, review and let me know your thoughts. It's always extremely appreciated.

~ FeudalAi


	2. Chapter 2

Inuyasha sat there, dumbfounded, and shaken to the core. He felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his head as he watched Kagome leave Sango and Miroku's house with their daughter…

He had a daughter…

He could hardly comprehend the thought. A little girl… He had missed so much. He figured she must be about five years old now. How? Why? He would have never abandoned them. He could feel his anger bubbling up fervently inside him. He had already missed so damn much.

His eyes steeled over as he turned back to face an apprehensive Miroku. "Did you know?" It came out monotone and firm.

Miroku's eyes were downcast, the only thing breaking the tense quiet that surrounded them was the happy laughter from the twins playing in the yard.

"I didn't. Not until Kagome showed up today. Sango knew, she found out a week ago." Miroku dared to meet his icy gaze and Inuyasha steadied himself for whatever the monk was about to ask. "You really didn't know?"

Inuyasha shook his head, a scowl firmly in place. His eyes moved out to the children running around the yard and he felt his harsh demeanor weaken slightly. His expression softened further as he watched Amarante and Chiho playing. "What's it like?"

"What's what like?" Miroku's voice was soft, as if he could sense the pain, confusion, happiness, and fear that Inuyasha was experiencing right now.

"Being a Dad…"

Miroku turned to look out at his children as well and a soft smile spread across his face. "Its like nothing I've ever felt before."

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled up. "That's not very helpful."

Miroku laughed. "Sorry, my friend, I can't even begin to describe it."

Sango walked back out onto the porch and sat down in her chair, a happy Katsuro in her arms. Inuyasha stared at the baby, missing the sad looks that Sango sent his way. He had missed this. He hadn't gotten to see his own child as a baby. He hadn't gotten to see her first steps, or her first word… He hadn't gotten to see any of it.

Haruna…

The name rung through his mind and made a new feeling spring up within his chest. It was so intense that it rocked him. Was this the love a parent had for a child? His clawed hand dug into his leg as the feeling continually washed over him, it wouldn't stop, and he didn't want it to. He was rushed with a surge of protectiveness for the little girl that looked so much like himself. He felt an inexplicable need to be near her, to know about her life, to talk with her, get to know her… He gulped and he looked up at Miroku who's eyes were already carefully watching him.

"I love her. I love Haruna… How is that possible? I literally just met her…"

Sango shrugged her shoulders. "It just is Inuyasha. She is a part of you, your blood… Its…" She trailed off, looking at the mumbling baby held lovingly in her arms. "I can't describe it, it just happens. For me, it was as soon as I knew I was pregnant… For Miroku it was the instant he saw them. It just hits you and suddenly you know that you would die for them without a second thought."

Inuyasha's anger rocked through him. He knew, without a doubt, that he would die for Haruna. He had only gotten a glimpse of her, had barely heard her little voice, and didn't even know her yet… But, he would give his life for that little golden-eyed girl. He could feel the anger growing more and more. All that time he had lost… It wasn't his fault, he hadn't ignored them, he hadn't abandoned them. That time was… It was… He searched for the right word and as soon as he found it his hands curled viciously into deadly fists.

Stolen.

That time he could have had with his daughter was stolen out from under him and there was only one person to blame for that.

"Kikyo." The name came out so vile that he felt as if he had just spat out a wad of venom. Miroku's face hardened and Katsuro's big, curious, eyes glanced over at the dog-eared man, confused by the sudden shift in the air.

Inuyasha simply felt murderous.

"What are you going to do?" Miroku's question was simple, probing, yet it sent his mind reeling.

What was he going to do?

He had started dating Kikyo on and off nearly three months after his breakup with Kagome. By the time Kagome sent the first letter they were hanging out at each other's places all the time. They weren't living together, they still didn't live together. But, she had always brought in his mail for him, something he always forgot to do, and he had always loved that she did that.

Well, not anymore.

She had betrayed him in the worst way imaginable. It was worse than cheating. It was worse than any crime he could think of. She had knowingly and actively stolen his time with his daughter. She had taken that away from him, and it was something that he could never get back or truly repair. His little girl might always remember a time before her Daddy was around. After all, demonic memory was extremely accurate and even though she was only quarter-demon her memory must still be superb.

He wanted to strangle something.

Instead, he slammed his fist down onto the metal table making it reverberate. The deep sound made Katsuro start to cry and the twins stopped playing, alarmed by the sudden and violent sound. Sango shot him a deadly look as she stood up and carried her wailing baby back inside the house. Inuyasha looked over at Miroku, regret lacing his eyes, but his fury still evident on his face.

"Sorry." He managed to spit out. It came out more hateful than he had intended, after all, it's not like Miroku had done anything wrong. He sighed deeply and leaned back into the chair, letting his muscles relax as he molded to the chair's hard shape. "Sorry…" This time it came out sincere as he blocked out the deceitful images of what Kikyo had done.

"Do you know what you're going to do about Kagome and Haruna?" Miroku spoke softly as he gently motioned for the girls to go back to playing. They looked at their father apprehensively before continuing their game of Princess. "It's a huge decision."

Inuyasha huffed and averted his eyes from his friend to once again watch the children playing. He had always wanted a family. He had always wanted what Sango and Miroku had… That was why after nearly five years of dating he had proposed to Kikyo. He felt his anger settle back inside his gut as he realized what a mistake it was to go against his instincts. For years, she had asked when they would get married and for years he had pushed it off. Something had just felt wrong, the pieces didn't fit quite right… Yet, he had caved after Sango gave birth to Katsuro. He wanted a family, and surely, after five years of dating, Kikyo was the right choose, right?

Wrong.

He pinched his eyes tightly closed as he tried once again to calm his breathing. "There is no decision." He opened his eyes and saw Miroku looking at him confused. He turned to face him head on, his determination clearly showing. "I'm going to be in Haruna's life. I want to know my daughter. Which means I will be in Kagome's life too…" He trailed off for a moment as he found the nerve to speak the fear that resided inside his heart. "As long as she lets me, that is."

Miroku smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure she will, Inuyasha. I mean, why else would she still be sending you letters?"

Inuyasha just stared at him as a realization set in. He leaned forward towards the table, eagerness showing on his face. "When was the last letter she sent?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure, but she did say that Haruna started kindergarten this week. So, she probably sent one out about that." Inuyasha stood up abruptly and began to march towards the door. He could hear Miroku stand up from the table and yell out to him. "What are you going to do?"

Inuyasha smirked and flexed his claws. "Something big." He muttered under his breath, low and dangerous.

Inuyasha left his car at Sango and Miroku's place and ran instead. He needed that rush of air against his face and the feel of his bare feet moving him along at lighting speeds. He needed to release some stress, some anxiety, that the day had caused. The fury rising up through him was like a never ending wave as he contemplated his past, his present, and his future. His thoughts constantly returning to the extraordinarily beautiful silver-haired, golden-eyed, Haruna… His baby girl.

Still, another name rang in his head as well, bouncing around the confines until he could feel the edges of a headache. Kagome…

He knew he had hurt her, he had hurt himself too. More than he had ever predicted. Kagome was his first girlfriend, his childhood sweetheart. They had only grown closer and closer as the years passed until when he was seventeen he finally bucked up the nerve to ask her out. They were together all through college, luckily being accepted to the same prestigious university. It had seemed like a dream, a dream that he wanted to make last forever.

But, there was that one nagging thought at the back of his head.

He was curious about how it would feel to date other girls. It had spurted up in him one day, about halfway through college. He pushed it to the side at first, he loved Kagome to death and he knew that he never wanted to loose her. But, he saw all his guy friends going out with one girl and then another, they had all these stories, both bad and good, and he wanted stories of his own. Fifty years down the road he didn't want to regret having never experienced anything else. It tore him apart when he admitted to Kagome that he was curious about how it would feel to be with someone else, and when she had left him he had felt his heart shatter and a new kind of regret settle permanently within his stomach. He had left the apartment, the door shutting behind him, before he had heard her collapse to the floor, her tears assailing his ears as his own fell unchecked down his cheeks. He had turned and his hand was mere inches from the doorknob before he pulled away, looked sadly at the door for one more minute, and left.

That moment, the moment where he didn't fix things, was the biggest regret of his life.

He knew it as soon as he left. He knew no one else could take her place in his heart… Yet, that stupid voice inside of himself kept screaming to go out and explore the world… And he did…

… And he hated it…

When he met Kikyo she looked so similar to Kagome that it had shocked him. More than once when they had started dating he had slipped and called her the wrong name. While she was similar to Kagome in looks, they were completely different people, and he found Kikyo's cold nature to be disturbing and slightly off-putting. Still, he stayed, scared to make the same mistake with a new person.

He wanted to punch himself now looking back on it… For years he had dreamed about Kagome. He had brushed it off, a simple longing for a friend, nothing more. But, it has always been more. In those dreams she was back in his arms and they were where they left off, before he had screwed it all up.

He should have listened to his subconscious.

Once, on the night of the new moon when he was human and his emotions were flaring he had tried to track her down. He had desperately searched for her online to no-avail. He had called her but her number was changed. He had driven to her old apartment but she was gone, a grumpy old man was living there instead. He had emailed her, but only received an 'Error, email address non-existent' in response. He had tried again, retyping her email address more carefully, but only got the same answer. Lastly, he had called Sango and begged her, literally begged her, to tell him how to get ahold of Kagome. But, sadly, Sango didn't know how to either. She hadn't heard from her in nearly three months. He had almost called Kagome's Mom, but thought better of it. If Kagome had tried this hard not to be found, she didn't want him to find her, right?

After that he had forced himself to accept the reality that surrounded him. Kagome was gone. He couldn't change that. But, he could fix the way he treated the woman he was currently with. From then on, he had tried in vain to force Kagome from his mind, but she was always there in his heart, his feelings never truly fading. That was yet another reason he had delayed proposing to Kikyo. He had only done it when he had accepted that there was no hope.

He knew, now, after all this time, that he may never be able to win Kagome back. Not after all that had happened. But, he could be a proper Dad to Haruna. If he had known… If he had only known…

He skidded to a halt in front of the entrance to his apartment building before he flew up the stairs to the twelfth floor, shoved a key into the lock, and entered the apartment; the door slamming shut behind him. He was fuming, his eyes were glowing predatorily in the dark, the malice written in them clear to see.

"Kikyo!" He hollered, his voice echoing down the long hallway to the bedroom. He heard the door open before he saw a lithe figure carefully approach him. Her eyes were squinted, as if she was scientifically analyzing him. He didn't like it.

"I know, Kikyo."

Her analytical look vanished as she put on a mask of charm and innocence. "What do you mean, Inuyasha?"

The high pitched timber of her voice made him growl and he noticed her once confident posture immediately recede. "Where are they?" He flexed his claws again, making the bones in his fingers pop slightly.

She winced, her posture weak, but an innocent expression was still painted across her face. He growled again, deeper, more threatening. Had he really never seen it before? Had he really never noticed the mask she wore? "I don't know what you're talking about honey."

In an instant he had her slammed against a wall. He was careful not to hurt her, just to scare her. His more demonic instincts were taking over and he couldn't stop his aggression from leaking out. She was trapped, his arms serving as a prison cell. Finally, her mask fell and a cold look came to replace it.

"Where are they?" He repeated, his fingers digging wholes into the wall.

She didn't flinch, she only stayed cold and detached. "Top right of the closet in the study. You never look there."

To his happy surprise she hadn't destroyed them. A smile almost flitted across his face, but the truly uncaring look that was plastered on hers stopped him. "Why, Kikyo? Why?" He couldn't stop his pain from seeping into his voice, it was obvious, and he didn't care.

"Because you would've left." She looked down at her feet now, dejected, before her eyes rose to meet his defiantly. "You would have left me for her, you never did stop loving that slut."

When she had uttered the word 'slut', something Kagome never was or ever would be, he had lost it. His right hand punched a hole into the wall, leaving his arm buried up to its elbow. He withdrew it carefully, brushing pieces of plaster off as he did so. "Leave. Leave now. We're done."

He didn't look at her, he knew that if he did he might do something bad. Something really bad. He felt her walk away from him, he heard her walk towards the door, he heard her open it and only once she had almost left did she speak again, her voice solemn and sure.

"You're making a mistake."

"Keh…" It came out gruff and he heard her slam the door on him. "No, I'm not."

First, he took his time to smash each picture of the two of them. When he was finished he felt some of his anger and frustration ebb away as a deep loss settled within him. He walked slowly to the study and reached up to the corner of the closet to pull down a worn brown box. He sat down on the floor, legs crossed, as he carefully opened the box and gingerly picked up a letter.

She really had sent him letters.

These were from Kagome… These were about his daughter… He felt his breath hitch as unwanted tears pricked his eyes. He laid them down on the ground in chronological order, twelve in total, and began to read. His eyes soaked in the words and devoured the pictures. The first one he read had two ultrasound pictures carefully tucked inside it and he ran his fingers slowly over the fuzzy black and white images. That was Haruna…

* * *

 _Inuyasha,_

 _I know I should have called, or emailed, or even stopped by to tell you this, but I just couldn't. So, here goes, I'm telling you in a letter. I'm pregnant. About six months along. I love this baby Inuyasha. It's a girl, a little baby girl. I know you might be with someone else by now. I don't care. If you want to be in this baby's life, you are welcome. Its up to you. It's your decision. I'm not asking for anything. But, please, for our little baby, will you please be a part of her life?_

 _— Kagome_

* * *

He couldn't stop the tears. He hiccuped as he tried to control them, his ears flattened against his head as his sorrow overtook him. "Yes, Kagome, I'll be there for our little girl…" He continued to flip through the letters. He saw pictures of Haruna crawling, of her walking, of her clapping her hands, of each of her birthdays, Haruna's little smiling face looked up at him as she grew older and older with each letter he read. That overwhelming need to smash something rose within him again so he picked up the box that had trapped his letters for so many years and threw it, hard, against the far wall. For the rest of the night he read, re-read, and re-re-read the letters… Carefully removing the pictures and her adorable misshapen drawings to later hang up around the apartment.

Two pictures in particular caught his attention and he knew he would display them front and center. The first was of a sweaty, but exuberant, Kagome holding a squiggling baby girl, a silver tuft of hair on her head. Kagome looked so happy, effervescent, as she held her baby for the first time… It pained him to know that he would never see that moment, that he couldn't live in that moment with her. The second picture was one of Haruna when she was about three years old. She was sitting on a swing set, the rusty chains starkly contrasting the beautiful silver of her hair. She sat there smiling, holding a picture of him tight against her chest. On the back Kagome had written, _'Haruna loves her Daddy'_. He fell asleep staring at that picture. The last thing he saw was Haruna's golden eyes looking back lovingly at him.

He would find them. He would find them and never let go again.

~Author's Note~

So, what do you think? Please remember that Inuyasha never did cheat on Kagome. He had wandering thoughts so he fessed up and told her. That hurts a lot too, don't get me wrong. But, he never did cheat on her.

Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews. Many were extremely impassioned and I was very surprised and happy.

Please, review. This story is taking shape quickly in my mind, so now I just need to find the time after work to write it. I will try to update at least once a week at the bare minimum.

~FeudalAi


	3. Chapter 3

Three days after seeing Inuyasha again for the first time in years Kagome was a ball of nerves. She sat with her fingers nervously twitching whenever she had a chance to take a break. Luckily, with Haruna going back to school, her little girl hadn't been able to witness the worst of Kagome's nerves. She tried not to let it get to her, she really did… But, he really hadn't known.

That thought killed her.

Knowing that he hadn't been purposefully absent from their lives had eased a deep pain that resided within her. It was still there, after all, all that time that he wasn't around was still going to hurt even if it wasn't entirely his fault. The wound was simply bandaged, not healed. But, at least a bandage was a start. Kagome stared down at the pile of dishes in their minuscule sink. She had just gotten back from bringing Haruna to school and was now facing the massive amount of household chores that awaited her. There was dishes, laundry, vacuuming, and she needed to start the meal prep for dinner. She sighed, exasperated, and was just about to put on her gloves to do the dishes when the doorbell rang. She tugged her shirt back into place self-consciously as she went to answer the door. When she had gotten home she had changed into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a loose fitting T-shirt. She hadn't been expecting company. She frowned slightly as she opened the door.

As soon as the man standing there, trademarked smirk on his face, registered in her brain she felt like she was about to faint and she wobbled on her feet as her fingers lost their hold on the doorknob… She could feel herself start to slip as her feet moved to quickly catch her balance. When she was finally sure that she wasn't about to fall over she looked at the bewildered, and mildly amused, man in front of her. He was standing with his arm out, only inches away from catching her when she had saved herself instead. He pulled it back slowly, a new indecipherable look inhabiting his face as he pulled something out of his pocket.

"I got this…" He held the letter up, clearly showing her the letter that she had sent to him the day they had been reunited. "Today… It had your new address in it." He held the letter gingerly with both hands, his eyes solely focused on its unassuming presence. "I'm sorry, Kagome." The air hung thick between them, so many things left unsaid, so many questions unasked, that it was deafening. Finally, he winced slightly as he forced himself to meet her steady gaze. "Can I come in?"

His head quirked inquisitively to the side and Kagome found herself nodding yes and motioning for him to enter before she even knew what she was doing. He walked in slowly, carefully, evaluating her small two-bedroom apartment. There was an open plan kitchen and living room, a screen door could be slid across the entrance to close it off but Kagome always kept it open. The two bedrooms were down the short hallway to their left along with the small bathroom. It was a small apartment, yes, but for now at least it was home. She had decorated it with pictures of Haruna growing up, of her family, of the shrine, and Haruna's drawings dotted the landscape of her small living area. He walked over to the couch, glanced at her nervously, and then sat down.

Silently, she walked over to sit down next to him. His eyes were fixed on the blank TV, not her, and she was fine with that. She was a whirlwind of emotions. He knew, now, that he had a daughter. What was he going to do? It had been so long since they had last sat like this, he wasn't going to be the same Inuyasha he was nearly six years ago. People change over time, and clearly she hadn't known him quite as well as she thought she had. Her fists tightened into balls as memories of the past washed over her. Taking a deep breath she tried to push them away as she loosened her fists.

Still, he had noticed.

"Where's Haruna?"

Her heart skipped a bit when he said the name of their baby girl. It made something melt inside of her, something romantic, or maybe something maternal, she couldn't tell. To her, by simply uttering her name, it felt like he had accepted her. It was hard to explain, but she loved the way Haruna's name sounded on his lips.

"At school." She forced herself to speak, still not uttering more than she had to. She didn't quite trust her words right now.

"Oh, yea…" He glanced at the clock on the wall, seemingly only just realizing the time. "Can we talk for a bit?" He turned to look at her and the desperation in his eyes stung something deep within her. She hated to see him in pain… She glanced away, at a picture of her holding a baby Haruna, and took a deep breath. She was torn between forcibly kicking him out or letting him stay. Her logical side took over as she recognized the fact that if she kicked him out now she wasn't just kicking him out of her life… She would be kicking him out of Haruna's too, and that was something she just couldn't do. She leaned back into the couch and allowed herself to meet his golden eyes as flashes of past feelings slammed into her.

"Yea… Yea we can talk."

He smiled, really smiled, and his happy look made her smile slightly too. But, she couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that had settled within her. She had always wanted him in Haruna's life, but now that he was here she knew a lot was about to change and a big part of her feared that she wasn't ready for it. She steeled herself, taking another deep breath. No, it didn't matter if she could handle it. It didn't matter if she could handle him, if she could handle all the changes, what mattered was doing what was best for Haruna and Haruna desperately wanted her Dad in her life. When she finally had gained the courage to look back at him he was slumped over, intently looking at the letter again.

"I've missed so much Kagome."

She sat there silent. She could tell that more was weighing on him by the way his shoulders sagged and the decidedly dejected look that his ears pronounced.

"I didn't know… Luckily, the letters weren't gone. They were all there, hidden from me… Kept secret…" His voice turned harsh and she saw him visibly shake. Her hand twitched, she wanted to reach out and gently place it on his back to comfort him, but she didn't. A moment later the shaking dispelled, but the frustration didn't truly leave his voice. It was there, in the undertone, present and filled with pain. "Kikyo, my ex, she kept them from me. She hid all of them."

Kagome could feel the confused look on her face. His ex? Weren't they engaged just a few days ago? Realization clicked in and a subtle oh escaped her lips, too quiet even for his semi-demonic hearing. She looked at him anew, he had left the woman he was going to marry because she had hide Haruna from him. It made a bit of pride swell up in her as she realized that Haruna must already mean a lot to him if he had so quickly given up the life he had planned.

"I'm sorry." It came out soft and only half true. She wasn't sure if she was sorry that Kikyo hid the letters or that he had broken up with his fiancé. It was something in-between, and nothing at all, leaving her confused and bewildered that she had even opened her mouth.

He didn't seem to notice as he returned his gaze to her, a new kind of determination prevalent across his striking features. "I want in Kagome. I want that door you offered. I want to be a part of Haruna's life, a big part. I'm her Father. I can't get back the time I missed…" He trailed off, anger floating through his eyes once again. "But, I'm here now and I'm never going to leave again. I'm here. For Haruna, for you…" He blushed slightly before regaining his composure. "For anything the two of you need. I am here… If you'll let me?"

The pleading puppy-dog look he was giving her was enough for her restraint to shatter. He was here, offering her everything that she had wanted for years. Haruna would have a Dad, and Inuyasha and her could simply learn how to get along again. They could learn how to be friends. What was important was that they were both there for Haruna now, supporting their girl all the way. Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms tight around Inuyasha's stiff muscles. Instantly, she regretted it, yet a small part deep within her cherished this moment of close contact. Her face was dug into his hair, his silvery strands mixing in with her black as she discreetly breathed in his scent again. It had been so long since she had last smelt that intoxicating scent that she almost lost her train of thought. She squeezed him a bit tighter and willed herself to say the words that were in her heart.

"Yes, Inuyasha, you can be in Haruna's life."

As soon as she had said the words she could feel his arms slowly come up to envelop her. She could feel his muscles, just as toned as ever, and knew she had to pull away. Slowly, she pushed away from him, smiling as they separated. When she was finally back on her side of the couch her skin tingled where she had been pressed up against him and she mentally berated herself for the hormones that had rushed her due to his mere friendly touch.

He looked a bit dazed when she pulled away before he lowered his arms back down to his sides, his eyes now firmly fixed on her. She could see his confusion, in the way his body tried to awkwardly angle itself towards her and the way his ears twitched, as if trying to solve a difficult problem. She smirked knowing that she had done that to him. She wasn't the simple Kagome that she used to be and, in that moment, she delighted in the power she had over him. Still, a slightly rosy blush graced her cheeks as she thought, once again, of the way his hair had smelt.

"Kagome?" His soft call shook her from her distracting thoughts as she refocused on the present.

"Yea?"

He looked away from her, attempting to hide his eyes with his long bangs, but she still caught the blush that dotted his own cheeks. "About us…"

She wasn't sure where he was going with that but she held up a hand to stop him, which only startled him making his head shoot back quickly. She laughed at his surprised reaction as he turned to shoot her a playful accusatory stare. His ears twitched and she had to force the giggle to stop, there were more important things to focus on right then and there. "No, Inuyasha. There is no us. So, unless your about to say, 'about us, how are we going to do this whole duel-parent thing', then I suggest that you don't finish. No, I demand that you don't finish." Her tone was dead serious and she could see her words registering with him. "I understand why you left. We were young. You were stupid. But, we were young…" She trailed off, meeting his hesitant gaze. "It's not like I haven't moved on, or dated, in the last six years." She heard the semi-lie in her own voice and silently begged that he hadn't heard it as well. From the somewhat pained look on his face, as his lips pinched together into a firm line, she assumed that he hadn't. "There isn't an us, there won't be an us, we are what we are… Haruna's Mom and Dad, and that's it. We will figure it out, how to do this whole thing, one day at a time. But, for now…" She trailed off and reached over to carefully grab one of his clawed hands. She tried to make it as non-romantic as she possibly could, but her own heart betrayed her as it fluttered unsteadily due to the feeling of his calloused palm against her smooth one. "For now, let's just try to be friends, ok?" She smiled up at him, true and genuine. This is what they needed to make this work. They needed some bond of friendship, some mutual understand, and, eventually, some mutual trust between them if they were going to manage this.

She saw him gulp before he nodded numbly in response, and as wrong as it may be, she felt herself cheeringly loudly on the inside for her success. She had stood strong. She did what was best for her daughter, but she wasn't going to allow her heart to sway so easily. This time around she was going to let her head rule. She pulled her hand away from his, only slightly berating herself when she missed his warmth.

The room had fallen somber again, and his lowered ears bothered her, so she decided to try and cheer him up in the most family friendly way she could imagine. She clamped her hands together, startling him back to the present, and looked at him excitedly. "Want to see Haruna's pictures?"

His face lit up and his smirk was back, he couldn't contain the excitement that was in his voice and his clear enthusiasm as he announced an immediate 'yes'. It made her heart feel warm as she raced to her closet to grab the multitude of photo albums that resided there.

A solid hour later and they had finally finished. Inuyasha had asked countless questions. She could tell that he wanted to learn everything about the time that he had missed. He wanted to absorb as much of it as possible so that he could engrain upon him who Haruna was. His eyes were glued to the multitude of pictures, flittering between each one to take in every aspect that they showed. This was the closest he could ever come to knowing Haruna when she was that little. He seemed especially fascinated with the pictures of her as a baby. More than once he had run his claws longingly over the smooth pictures. It shot a pang through her to see the pain he was in, but she shoved it off. She had suffered for years without him, it had been hard, raising their little girl alone.

Yea, sure, it wasn't really his fault he wasn't there…

But, it still stung.

She cringed slightly as he flipped the baby album back to the beginning and stared at a picture of her holding Haruna mere seconds after birth. Haruna wasn't even completely cleaned yet, some blood and goo from giving birth still clung to her tiny form. But, he didn't seem to care. If anything, he seemed completely entranced. Kagome herself looked breathless, her chest was red from the exertion of giving birth and her cheeks were flushed. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun and you could see the sweat that was shinning on her face. Still, her tender smile was gigantic as she held her daughter for the first time.

Inuyasha just kept staring at that picture and Kagome's emotions went into hyperdrive. She stood up and walked into the kitchen to calm her nervous fidgets. Just because he was here didn't mean anything for them, he was here for Haruna… She wasn't going to let him win her back without even trying…

She scrunched up her face at that thought and turned on the electric kettle to heat some water. No, she wouldn't let him back into her life romantically. Not now… She forced herself to add a 'not ever' to the end of that thought, but even in her mind it sounded weak and half-hearted. There was just something about him… It pulled at her, he was like the sun and she was simply one rotating planet locked within his orbit. She would probably never completely stop loving him… He was a part of her, and that connection was echoed down through their daughter. He was a part of her mind, body, and soul and she would never be able to fully disengage from him. But, she could try. She could try to keep moving on. She could try to go out on dates again…

That thought made her wince remembering the few terrible dates she had gone out on since Haruna was born. She shook off the memories and glanced back at the furry appendages she could see above the lip of the couch.

"Want some tea?" He still hadn't glanced up, but a slight nod of his head was all the answer she needed. The electric kettle signaled that the water was done and she quickly made them some apple tea, plopping in a cinnamon stick for good measure. She walked back over to the couch, two steaming cups in hand, and set one down gingerly in front of him. He glanced up, only briefly, to smile thankfully at her.

"Thanks, Kagome."

She sat down beside him again, holding her cup with both hands to let it warm her and dispel unwanted memories. They sat there in a comfortable silence for a while before Inuyasha said what was on his mind.

"I really wish I had been there Kagome…" His eyes were still locked on that same picture and she felt herself blush. She tilted her head away from him so he wouldn't see it if he looked at her.

"I wish you had been too."

"It's all my fault." His hands came up to hide his face and dig into his bangs, shielding himself from her prying eyes. She didn't reply to him, she couldn't. She knew that she could relieve his pain, erase his burden, by simply telling him softly that it wasn't his fault, even with the break-up, it was Kikyo's fault, not his. Still, she couldn't do that. A deep, vindictive, part of her reveled in seeing the bit of pain on his face after all the years she spent longing after him with the awful knowledge that he was happy with someone else. Well, at least, she assumed he had been happy. Eventually, he lowered his hands and turned to look at her. She could see him biting back tears as he tried not to let his feelings loose in her presence. "When can I see her again?"

The question was soft and innocent, yet it sent a shiver of fear through her. She knew that she wanted him in Haruna's life, then why couldn't she help but be scared of the changes ahead? She tightened her grip on her mug and looked into the dark liquid inside. "She's done school a little after three… There is a park about two blocks from here, we walk past it on the way back from her school… I guess, we could meet you there?" Her voice sounded timid and she hated it.

The look of immediate gratitude on his face was astounding and forced her to smile back at his eager grin. "Yea… That's perfect."

About a half hour later he left and Kagome begrudgingly returned to her chores. Just because a million and one things were running through her mind didn't mean that she couldn't finish the never-ending list of things that had to be done around the apartment. By the time she had to go pick up Haruna she had finished nearly everything on her list and she sighed in satisfaction. She quickly exited the door and began the short trek to Haruna's school. She had made sure the new apartment was within a short walking distance to the advanced school that Haruna now belonged to. She nervously patted down the sun dress that she now wore. She had made sure that she would look presentable. Inuyasha wasn't going to surprise her this time around. Even if she wasn't going to get back with him, what was the harm trying to make him miss her?

She stood outside the entrance to the school and five minutes later a bundle of children came running out of the door. She immediately caught sight of Haruna's unique silver hair and wormed her way through the throng of children and adults to reach her daughter. She took her hand in her's and began the short walk to the park, Haruna skipping happily alongside her.

"So, today in art class I drew a house Mommy!" She stopped and unzipped her bag to quickly withdraw the picture. "See, that's you, that's me, and that is Mr. Doggy-Ears." Kagome laughed as she looked at the attempted drawing of Inuyasha. It was simply a pair of almost cat-like looking ears sitting on top of a circle. She took her daughter's hand again and smiled as she looked down at Haruna who was now happily humming away.

"You know…"

"Yea, Mommy?" Her big inquisitive eyes turned towards her. Kagome knew how happy this was about to make Haruna, it was something that she had wanted her whole life.

"Your Daddy came over today."

Haruna stopped, her mouth falling open into an adorable 'o', as her eyes shot open wide. A second later and she had somewhat regained her composure, her little hands now desperately clinging to her Mother's dress as she looked at her searchingly.

"Really? Daddy came?"

"Yep." Kagome couldn't help the smirk that slide onto her face as Haruna clapped her hands together happily.

"And guess what?"

"What?" Her voice was so chipper, Kagome was almost sure that she had never seen her happier.

"We are going to meet him, at the park, right now."

Haruna froze to the spot, confusing Kagome with the suddenness of her lack of movement. Her face had slipped into one of fear as her hands came up to fidget through her hair. Kagome looked at her, confused, before kneeling down beside her and grabbing her little hands to stop her fidgeting. She looked her dead in the eye and spoke with a soothing voice. "What's wrong? I thought you wanted to meet Daddy."

Haruna looked panicked for a moment, but their eyes remained locked. "I… I do… But, Mommy…" Haruna's eyes squinted as she looked down at herself. "Do I look ok? I want Daddy to like me."

The concern and worry in her little voice broke Kagome's heart. She leaned forward, wrapping Haruna's small frame firmly within her protective embrace. She nuzzled her face into Haruna's silver hair and smiled at the familiar scent that lingered there. "He does Haruna. Daddy loves you already. You are perfect." Kagome leaned back, holding her out at arms length, as she smiled genuinely at her. Haruna's sad face slowly turned up into a smile as she stared at her Mother in somewhat disbelief.

"Really?"

"Really, really. So, don't worry. Your Daddy is much more nervous to meet you than you are to see him." Kagome stood back up and walked her now oddly quiet daughter the rest of the way to the park. When they reached it she saw him immediately and timed seemed to freeze as his golden eyes met their twin.

He was standing over by the swing set and she had to gently pull Haruna's now limp body the rest of the way until they were only a few feet from the speechless Inuyasha. He coughed slightly, clearing his throat, before he squatted down to be eye level with his new-found daughter.

"Hello, Haruna. I'm your Dad."

"I know that." Her quip made Kagome smirk and Inuyasha's ears swiveled towards her as an embarrassed blush flushed his face. He steadied himself, ears turning back to focus on the little girl before him, before he continued.

"I'm really happy to meet you, Haruna. Your Mom has been telling me all about you."

"She has?" Her eager tone lit up Inuyasha's face. He smiled brightly at her and Kagome felt that budding warmth inside herself again.

"Yep!" His golden eyes locked with Haruna's for a moment before he slowly reached out one of his clawed hands towards her. He left it there, dangling in the space between them, not forcing her to take it.

Haruna's smile grew as her small hand reached out to grab his and he pulled her in for a hug. Their silver hair swirled together and it was impossible to tell where Haruna began and Inuyasha ended in the silver curtain that surrounded them. They separated a moment later and Kagome could have sworn she saw tears in Inuyasha's eyes, but they were gone as soon as she had suspected anything.

"Would it be ok if I got to know you Haruna?"

Haruna clapped her hands together before she reached out and placed one hand on each of his cheeks, lightly squishing his face. "Of course, Daddy!" Her eyes flitted to the top of his head where his ears were twitching ever-so-slightly as they took in the sounds around them. He smirked and Kagome knew what was coming next.

"Wanna touch them?"

Haruna's eyes widened as surprise flitted across her face. "Can I? Can I really?"

"Of course. You're my pup after all." He leaned his head down, his bangs now shielding his eyes. His ears were within easy reach and Haruna ecstatically reached up to touch them. Her little hands found the fuzzy appendages and she squeezed.

Kagome saw Inuyasha wince, but he didn't say anything. She smiled slightly as she knelt down beside them and gently grabbed Haruna's hands. "Gently, ok? Daddy has very sensitive ears so you have to be careful with them, alright?" She made sure that her tone was warm along with her smile so that the little girl wouldn't feel bad.

A pained look hit Haruna's face as she realized that she had accidentally hurt her Father. "Sorry, Daddy."

"It's ok." Inuyasha's voice was gruff, but not harsh. Something laid unspoken within his tone and Kagome couldn't quite grasp it. She moved Haruna's hands back to his ears and watched her hesitate.

"It's ok, try again."

Haruna smiled nervously as she began to rub his ears gently. Kagome smirked when she heard the contented rumble escape Inuyasha's chest. Haruna withdrew her hands, her eyes wide, as Inuyasha raised his head to look at her.

"They're so fuzzy!"

"Keh…" He stood up fully, glancing back towards the swings before he looked at Kagome for approval. She nodded her head slightly and he smirked down at his daughter. "Want me to push ya on the swings?"

Haruna didn't even answer, she just sprinted off towards the swings, a little silver blur, her butt already positioned on one of the seats before Kagome had even moved.

"Sometimes she is so much like you." Her voice was soft and laced with emotion.

He glanced back at her and smiled. "Thank you Kagome, thank you for this."

"Daddy! Are you coming?" Her little shout shook him from his thoughts and he was immediately off after her, pushing her high into the air, her happy giggle floating down to reach Kagome's ears.

She didn't know how she was going to manage it. Her heart beat erratically within her chest as she watched Inuyasha play with their daughter for the first time. She didn't know how she would manage not falling back into him, but with renewed confidence, she knew that she couldn't allow that. She would call Sango, have her set her up on a date. It was high time that she forced herself to truly move on from Inuyasha. She wasn't in this thing alone. Now, she had her friends back and Haruna finally had the Dad that she had always longed for. It was good that they had moved back here. It was good for her and it was good for Haruna, in more ways than one. She continued to smile as she listened to her daughter's boisterous laughter as Inuyasha pushed her ever higher. She would move on, she would try dating again, and she would try to find love that she deserved. Someone kind, trusting, and smart. Someone unlike the silver haired half-demon in front of her that her heart begged her to truly forgive.

~Author's Note~

Hello, everyone! I hope you like the story so far. This is starting to turn into something much longer than I had originally imagined, so I hope you will enjoy the ride.

I love all reviews. A note to all guest reviewers: It can take up to 36 hours for your review to be posted to my page. I never delete reviews.

However, I would like to request that you please refrain from using any profanity in your comments. The system doesn't like it and is forced to bleep them out. I love how passionate you are, simply please refrain from using curse words if you could.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far.

Review, and let me know your thoughts on this chapter!

~FeudalAi


	4. Chapter 4

Inuyasha could hardly believe it. He felt like he was floating on a cloud, that he was living in a dream, that his entire current existence was nothing but a really cruel joke. He looked down at Haruna who was studiously working on her math homework. It had been two weeks since Kagome had allowed him into Haruna's life and the whole thing still felt extremely surreal. They were at Kagome's apartment. She was cooking something in the kitchen while he sat on the couch supposedly helping Haruna with her homework.

But, his little pup was smart. She didn't need any help.

Once in a rare while she would look back at him and flash him a smile. She would lift up her paper and ask if she had done it right and he would lean down, tell her that of course she did, and ruffle her hair. It was simply a fairytale. There was no other word for it. There was just one downside…

There was a tension between Kagome and him. She wasn't entirely comfortable with him being around Haruna. Well, at least not alone. He had tried to subtly suggest it a few times. That he could pick Haruna up from school and bring her to Kagome's place, but she always declined. He sighed deeply and leaned back into the couch, melting into its frame. It was just par for the course. He was going to have to accept the limitations that she was putting on him, even though it was extremely frustrating to be tied back by strings.

He lowered his head so his bangs would hide his eyes so that he could discretely peak at Kagome in the kitchen. She was beautiful. Simply, beautiful. He had always known that, of course, but it had never really sunk in before. Somehow, she still looked the same. Six years later and after giving birth she still looked like the same Kagome he had fallen in love with. But, now it was motherhood that made her look so beautiful. When she would look at Haruna, there was a spark in her eyes that wasn't there before. It ignited something in the pit of his belly. His instincts were screaming out at him and he had to forcefully push them back. He knew it was his fault. All his fault. He had had stupid childish yearnings to explore the world and inadvertently messed up the best thing in his life. Most nights, when he went home, the loneliness would press in around him. He hated it. Feeling like he had not only betrayed Kagome but also Haruna tore him apart. When he wasn't near them, when he couldn't see them, a small bubble of fear would rise up within him. When they were within his sight he knew they were safe. Some instinctual part of him demanded that he always be near them, that he was always close enough to be able to protect them. In this day and age he knew that was silly, that more than likely everything would be perfectly fine. But, he couldn't help it. His instincts were screaming at him to be near his family.

His family… That's what they were.

He felt a small rumble of contentment leak from his lips as he watched Kagome cook. Haruna turned around to look at him questioningly and the sound immediately ceased as he felt the blood rush towards his cheeks.

"Daddy?"

He smiled, something he seemed to only do around her, and leaned forward, his forearms resting against his knees as his hair fell down in a silver curtain.

"Yea?"

"Why'd you make that noise?"

The blush grew as he tried to squash the embarrassment that had risen within him. "What noise?

She wrinkled her nose at him, stubborn. "It was something like this…" She tried to imitate his possessively happy rumble but it came out more like a toothy growl. Her little lips curled up as she tried to copy the sound, her frustration growing as she failed to imitate him. He smirked.

"Like this…" He made the noise again, changing the intonation slightly so that it didn't sound quite so possessive. "Your part dog demon, Haruna, just trust your instincts. Don't use your mouth, the sound comes from your throat. Think about something that makes you really happy, think about something that makes you feel really safe, then try."

She listened carefully, eyes wide as she soaked in every word. She closed her eyes and her face relaxed as she fell into a memory. He watched her, clearly noticing the change as she fell into her instincts. A moment later a contented rumble escaped her and her eyes shot open wide, the sound immediately stopping, as she smiled a face-splitting grin.

"I did it!"

"That's my girl." He ruffled her hair, loving how silky soft it was. "It's all about your instincts. Just like your enhanced smell and hearing."

She smiled before her face turned thoughtful. It always surprised him when she did it. She was so smart, so much smarter than him, that it was simply breathtaking.

"Why don't I have ears like you?"

His ears froze, temporarily in shock, before he wiggled them at her, a smirk on his face. "You're only quarter-demon Haruna. I'm half." He leaned closer and she reached up to gently rub his left ear. "Just genetics."

"If I have a brother or sister would they have doggy ears?"

He felt the blush come back and he tried to hide it from her. "I don't know."

"Well, when will you and Mommy have more kids?"

He froze and he heard a plate clatter to the floor. His head spun around, Haruna loosing her grip on his ear, as they both looked over towards Kagome. She was frozen, eyes wide, a broken plate scattered around her feet.

"Mommy?"

Haruna's soft voice broke her from her shock and her eyes trailed down to surveil the damage.

"Shit…" Kagome's voice came out soft, but Inuyasha knew that Haruna had heard. She carefully stepped over the broken shards and came to kneel down next to Haruna by the small table. She looked up accusingly at him before her eyes locked onto Haruna's innocently naive gaze. "Haruna, listen to me." She took Haruna's hands in hers. Haruna glanced up at him nervously before Kagome lightly tugged at her hands to pull her attention back towards her. "Your Daddy and I are not together. Remember? So, that means no brothers or sisters…"

Haruna's little face started to fall and Inuyasha winced. He saw a flash of pain across Kagome's face before she continued and he felt a small amount of dread well up inside himself. "Maybe, one day, if I or your Daddy met someone new, fall in love, get married, then you will have a little half-brother or sister. Ok?"

Haruna's eyes were dancing between Kagome's and his. He felt the muscles around his lips tense up as his teeth ground together. He didn't like that thought, it rubbed him the wrong way, when he thought about Kagome with someone else. He knew that he had no right to such thoughts. That he wasn't allowed to be possessive over her, that he had no right to her, but still… His instincts welled up within him and all he wanted to do was take her into his arms. The woman he should have never left, the mother of his pup, the amazing person that he was never able to replace. Kikyo floated through his mind and he found his frustration turning into anger. His hatred for Kikyo ran deep, overlapping any love that he had ever felt for that vile woman. She had kept his kid away from him and that was inexcusable. It was such a deep betrayal that the very thought of it made his hands curl into fists, his claws biting into his palms, as he had to force himself to repress his demonic side that desperately wanted to break out and track down the woman who had so horrendously betrayed him.

Haruna nodded but she still looked confused.

Kagome sighed and Inuyasha noticed the way her shoulders tensed before she stood up. Inuyasha stood up faster and walked over to where he had learned a few days prior the broom was kept. He noticed her thankful expression as he began to clean up the broken shards and he just nodded in response. He wanted to be helpful. He wanted to protect them, even if it was just from a broken plate. Kagome returned to the kitchen to grab two plates, carefully piling each of them up with food, before carrying them over one-by-one to the small table. Inuyasha swept up all the fragments he could see, carefully putting them away, before he leaned down to run his hand over the floor to make sure he didn't miss even the most minuscule shard.

"The food is ready, Inuyasha." He turned to walk over and sit down beside Haruna. His face scrunching up due to the lack of a third plate.

"Are you joining us?" He took a big bite of his food as he analyzed her every move. She shifted on the balls of her feet, her eyes not meeting his, her shoulders tense as one hand came up to nervously wrap around herself.

"Mommy has a date." Haruna kept eating, as if what she had just announced wasn't something life changing.

Inuyasha's head shot up, his ears firmly fixed on Kagome's growing blush. He felt his anger rise back up inside and it was becoming harder to suppress. To suppress his frustration, his anger, his instincts… Kagome was going on a date… Self-hatred tore him apart inside as he realized that he was the one who had screwed things up in the first place. He had no claim on her. He had not claim to her love or her life. She was free to make any decisions she wanted. Free to date anyone she wanted. He heard his knuckles crack as he forced himself to refrain from punching the table beneath him.

"Is that so?" It came out strained, through clenched teeth. Kagome's eyes flitted over towards him nervously.

"Yea. So, see Haruna, your Daddy and I are not together. Remember, Mommy is looking for someone new and if I find someone very, very special I'll introduce you ok."

Haruna stared down at her food, refusing to look up at Kagome. "Ok…"

"I got to go get ready, Sango will be here in a half hour to watch you." Kagome's voice was sheepish, as if even she was unsure about what she was about to do. Inuyasha had his bangs carefully hiding his eyes from her or else she would have been able to see the pain that was clearly evident in them. He had no right to that pain… No right. She deserved to be happy… Right?

He frowned, his muscles tightening. Of course she deserved to be happy. He had hurt her, he had hurt her so deeply that he knew that he could probably never make it up to her. She deserved to be happy with someone who was good, with someone who wouldn't make the same mistakes as him…

Still, the very thought made him cringe and want to go on a rampage.

Kagome hesitated for only a moment longer before she scurried into her bedroom. Inuyasha turned his gaze onto Haruna, focusing on that sole light that made him happy. Haruna was his world. She lit up his life by her very presence. He had always wanted to be a father, but he never could have guessed that it would have felt like this. So much love, he couldn't explain it in words… The instantaneous bond he had felt as soon as he had really realized that Haruna was his. The overflowing amount of never-ending love, the constant fear for her safety, the need to know that she is happy and healthy… He knew, without a doubt, that he would die for her. Haruna was still staring down at her food, idly playing with it instead of eating it.

"You shouldn't play with your food, ya know."

She didn't look up or stop prodding her food. "Mhm…"

"What's wrong?" He nudged her slightly so that she would turn and pay attention to him.

"I want you to date Mommy."

Inuyasha felt an uncomfortable warmth spread within him from her words. "That… That can't happen."

"Why?"

He flinched slightly. Why did Haruna have to be so curious? "Cause I messed up, a long time ago."

"You did?"

"Yea, I did." He reached out and gently poked her forehead, making her smile. "Your Mommy deserves to be happy. Let's try to support her, ok?" He had to force the words out. Speaking them made something snap inside as the knowledge that he had truly lost Kagome began to sink in. She had told him that she had been on dates before. But, he had ignored that. It wasn't something he had wanted to focus on. A part of him wanted to erase all the time they had spent away from each other, but that was impossible. Now, he was being forced to witness it first hand and, regretfully, he knew it was something he was going to have to get used to.

"Ok Daddy…" Her voice was soft, but she did start eating her food again. "I'd like to be a big sister one day, ya know…"

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head as shame swamped his entire being. "I know…" They continued to eat in silence, the mood severely dampened.

Ten minutes later Kagome came out in a tight pair of skinny jeans, black ankle boots, and a loose-fitting dark purple top that dipped just low enough to highlight her collarbone but still cover the swell of her breasts. Her hair was down in loose waves and she had put on the barest touches of makeup to highlight her eyes and cheekbones. A slight pink sheen made her lips shine. Inuyasha felt his heart speed up, he could feel his pulse increase as his eyes soaked her in and greedily absorbed every facet of her. He gulped, forcing himself to turn his longing gaze away from her.

He didn't deserve her. He messed up. She deserved to be happy.

He kept repeating that like a mantra. Over and over again it cycled through his head as her light scent invaded his nose making him loose all coherent train of thought. He cursed himself. For his mistakes… for his failings… He shouldn't have been such a hormonal brat. He gave into his childish curiosities and that cost him everything.

"How do I look?"

He looked up to find her nervously pulling down her shirt, as if she was uncomfortable in her clothes. He gave her his trademarked smirk, hiding any trace of jealousy that he felt. "Good. Ya look good, Kagome."

Haruna glanced up at her Mom, but didn't answer. Kagome frowned slightly. He was about to say something, to intervene and break the slowly rising tension, when a soft knock sounded from the door.

"That must be Sango…" Kagome scurried over to answer it, pulling it open to find a smiling Sango bouncing a happy Katsuro. "Welcome." She sounded chipper, but like she was putting on an act. He forced back the frown that wanted to grow, maintaining his smirk as the brunette entered the room.

"Inuyasha, I didn't expect you here." The surprise in her voice annoyed him and he tried not to let a growl slip.

"Well, it is my kid why wouldn't I be here?"

Sango blushed slightly and looked away, the shock ebbing from her face. "Guess I just thought if you were here that you would be watching Haruna, not me."

He knew that she hadn't meant anything by it. He knew that there was no way for her to know that only a few hours earlier Kagome and him had gotten in that exact argument. There was no way that she had known that he was still pissed about it.

Kagome didn't trust him yet.

On a personal level, he couldn't blame her. But, this was something different. This was his pup. He would never hurt his pup. He would protect her from anything and everything.

Yet, the look in Kagome's eyes when he had brought it up to her earlier immediately told him that she didn't trust him alone with Haruna yet.

And that… to put it mildly… pissed him off.

"I thought that too." He snapped, eyes flashing daggers in Kagome's direction. "But, I guess not." He turned his focus back towards Haruna, purposefully ignoring Kagome's now slightly hunched posture. Haruna was still looking down at her somewhat empty plate, a slightly vacant expression occupying her face. Discreetly, he took a sniff of the air, trying to scent that she was physically ok. A nearly impossible to detect sickly smell rose to met his hyper-sensitive nose and he frowned. Haruna looked ok. A bit vacant, but ok… Yet, her scent was off. Not much… Still… Haruna turned to look towards her Mom and her slightly pale face regained some color.

"Mommy, I don't feel so good."

Kagome stepped forward, kneeling down beside Haruna, worry etched on her face. Inuyasha leaned closer, protective, as he watched her assess the situation. Kagome leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Haruna's, discreetly checking her temperature, before she leaned back with a renewed smile on her face.

"Haruna, I know you don't like me going out, but everything is gonna be ok. You don't have a temperature, so don't lie ok?" Even though she was smiling he could still smell a bit of worry lacing her scent.

"Can I stay here? With Sango and her I mean… I'll keep a close eye on her."

She looked up at him as if he had startled her. As if his idea to watch his own child was a shocking realization that hadn't truly dawned on her before.

He hated that look.

He took a deep breath, squashing his unresolved anger and frustration once again, as he let his nails bite into the palms of his hands, creating small crescents of blood. It would heal before anyone would notice…

Or so he thought.

Haruna's head shot up and she turned dazed eyes to look at him, confused, and he wanted to smack himself upside the head for forgetting that she had enhanced smelling too.

He heard Kagome gulp, and his attention swiveled back towards her.

"Ok… I guess that will be ok…" She looked so hesitant. As if this was a huge moment for her… The doubt in her eyes was like a dagger to his soul.

Sango's eyes flashed between them, soaking in the situation and attempting to figure out how best to navigate the murky waters. "Everything will be ok Kagome. You just have some fun. I'll be here with Inuyasha." Her worried gaze flickered towards Haruna. "If anything is wrong we will call you immediately, alright?"

Kagome nodded, but doubt and apprehension still clung to her like a wicked perfume. She turned towards the door and stopped when her hand was on the handle. She looked back, flashing Haruna the smile that Inuyasha had come to love. It was the smile that only a mother could give her child. One filled with so much love… It was simply astounding.

"I love you, Haruna."

"I love you too, Mommy." Haruna stood up, leaning slightly against him, and waved at her mother. Sending Kagome off with her typical smile.

Kagome's smile fell slightly into one of contemplative contentment when she saw him wrap his arm protectively around Haruna's small frame. It was like she was soaking in the scene, memorizing it… With a small shake of her head her ebony waves cascaded down around her and she opened the door and left.

The time passed easily after that. Sango mostly just relaxed and kept Katsuro occupied while Inuyasha slowly helped Haruna finish her homework. It was easy to ignore his jealousy as his worry over Haruna grew. She was becoming more and more dazed, telling him that she felt tired… Sango, at first, had initially written it off as her simply being overtired. But, after an hour, he could tell that she was beginning to worry too.

Haruna was leaning against him now. He had put on her favorite cartoon to distract her. Her head was pressed firmly into the crook of his arm as she relaxed more and more against him. Suddenly, the sickly sweet smell increased and he turned towards her, eyes ablaze, as he quickly reached up to press the back of his hand gently against her forehead.

It was hot. Really hot…

How had that happened? How in the world had that happened so fast? Panic invaded him and he tried to stifle it. Kids got sick all the time, it happened.

"She has a fever now."

Sango's brow furrowed and she turned to look at Katsuro who was sleeping in his basinet. "Maybe we should take her in to the…" She didn't get to finish before a flushed Haruna spoke up.

"Daddy, I don't feel so…"

Haruna leaned over and only barely missed throwing up on top of them both. Her fowl smelling puke covered the carpet to her right.

He was in full blown panic mode now.

Quickly, he grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed it against her mouth, cleaning up all remnants of puke, as he forced his mind to block out the overpowering stench to try and focus instead on the subtle scent of lingering sickness in Haruna.

"I'm taking her to the doctor." He gingerly picked Haruna up in his arms, holding her tight against his body, using the flutter of her heartbeat to soothe his worried soul.

"Ok, just let me get Katsuro…"

"No." He turned to look at Sango, his defiance firm in his eyes. "I'll take her. We don't want Katsuro to get sick too…" He looked over at the happily slumbering baby. There was no point in getting another child sick, especially one so young with so little an immune system.

Sango nodded numbly. "I'll meet you there."

"Call Kagome."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he was gone. He was running. He didn't bother with his car. He was faster on foot. He bounded gracefully building to building, something he knew that Haruna would love if she was coherent enough to understand what was going on. Instead, she clung to him. Her little hands fisted into his shirt. He pulled her in closer, determination set on his face, as he sped at lightening speeds towards the hospital.

Only a few minutes later he was skidding to a halt through the hospital's emergency room doors. "My daughter… My daughter needs help." When the few nurses around didn't stop to help him his fury that he had been surpassing all day took over. He could feel his demonic side slipping out, could sense the purple streaks appearing on his cheeks. "NOW!" He hollered. A nurse looked up, noticed the red color bleeding into his eyes, before she took in the sick girl carefully clutched in his arms. She rushed forward, hurrying them into a patient room, as he fought to keep control over himself.

He laid her gently on the bed, never letting go of her hand. Her golden eyes met his and he forced himself to smile reassuringly at her.

"Daddy, you look funny." She rose a weak hand to point at the jagged lines on his cheeks.

"I know, it's ok."

"But, why?"

"Daddy's just a little worried…" He took a few deep breaths, relaxing more when he felt himself fully returning to normal.

"Why you worried Da…" She didn't manage to finish before she leaned over, her puke now covering the white sheets.

Kagome arrived twenty minutes later in a rush. Her face was sweaty and she had tied her hair back into a sloppy pony tail. Her date was clearly kicked out of her mind as sheer panic gripped her. Her face screamed with worry. She had run into the room, nearly tripping in her haste, and rushed to the bed. She had sat beside Inuyasha, reached out to gently grab Haruna's hand, and she hadn't moved since then.

It had been nearly an hour. No words were spoken. The room sat in silence expect for the sound of Haruna's slightly staggered breathing.

Inuyasha steeled himself, preparing to break the escalating tension and worry that pervaded the tiny room. "Kagome, I'm…"

"Shh…" Her voice was soft, her gaze locked on her daughter as she leaned forward to gently wipe sweat from her slightly glistening forehead. "I know. It's not your fault. I…" She hesitated, her brows creasing in regret. "I shouldn't have gone out… She said she wasn't feeling well… It's my fault."

He reached over and rested his palm on top of her arm. When their eyes met old sparks ignited between them as he did what came as second nature… Comforted her. He couldn't bear to see her in pain. This wasn't her fault. Kids got sick, it happens, and Haruna didn't even have a temperature when Kagome had left. He leaned forward, lowering his voice so as not to disturb Haruna's fitful slumber. "It's not your fault Kagome." Her eyes widened, his voice husky and deep as he tried to get her to understand that what was happening, right now, was not her fault. "Don't let me ever hear you say that again. Ok? This…" He motioned towards Haruna. "This is not your fault."

She stared up at him before a broken "O-ok" escaped her lips.

Their eyes lingered, holding each other, both silently begging the other to give them the reassurance that they both so desperately needed. She was just about to say something, her mouth opening once, twice, before she gained the courage to break the fear in the air, when the doctor shuffled in. He stood at the entrance, barely taking in the inhabitants of the room before his emotionless eyes studied the contents of the folder he held.

"So? What's wrong with our girl?" Inuyasha barked. He couldn't help it. His hand tightened subconsciously around Kagome's forearm, as he braced himself for impact.

The doctor looked up again briefly before returning to the medical charts that lay waiting inside the file. With a cold voice he told them the answer they had been waiting for. With a cold voice he changed their world. With a cold voice he announced the news that sent Kagome flying into his chest, his arms coming down to protectively wrap around her, as she cried into his shirt.

"Haruna has meningitis."

~ Author's Note~

Sorry that it took me longer than usual to update. I will update at least once a week, but I am aiming for two.

It took me a while because I was debating if I wanted to bring the story this way. But, the idea stuck with me so I'm heading down this path.

What do you think of the new chapter? Thank you so much for all of the reviews last time, they mean a lot to me. Please, let me know what you think of the new development.

~ FeudalAi


	5. Chapter 5

Kagome just wanted to cry. Her face was shoved into Inuyasha's chest, his muscles taut as he held her close against him. There was nothing romantic or sensual about it. In that moment, it was simply two terrified parents needing each others comforting embrace. When she finally managed to stifle her tears she leaned back from him. He unraveled himself from around her but kept his left arm dangling protectively around her shoulders as he turned angry eyes onto the emotionless doctor. Kagome looked over at the doctor who had given them the heart wrenching news. She reached up a hand to shakily wipe away a few remaining tears before she worked up the will to speak.

"Meningitis?" It came out shaky, broken, as if her spirit had cracked in two.

The doctor looked up at her, a flicker of something unrecognizable flashing across his face, before he replied. He tightened his grip on his file, his knuckles nearly turning white, as the mask he held started to break ever-so-slightly. "We suspect that it may be bacterial meningitis. That would be the worse case scenario." He gave them a moment to process that before he continued. "We need to run a few tests. For starters, we need to draw blood and do a spinal tap… Possibly even take an X-ray of her lungs and do a CT scan."

Inuyasha's arm tensed around her, pulling her closer into his side. She strung her fingers together, tightening them around each other until it hurt. She felt herself gasping, desperately trying to rake in air, until she felt Inuyasha move his arm to run his fingers through her hair to comfort her. She sighed as her body relaxed, her desperate breaths returning to something closer to normal.

"If she has…" Inuyasha took a deep breath. She could feel the heat of it brushing against her ear as he sighed deeply. "If she has bacterial meningitis… What is the outlook?"

The doctor didn't answer.

The room remained still and quiet as the doctor eyed the medical reports in the file once again. He was biting his bottom lip slightly which sent tendrils of immense fear throughout her. What felt like years, but was probably only mere seconds, later the doctor finally spoke.

"We caught it early. So there is a chance that she will recover perfectly fine. But, I do have to inform you that there is a chance of death. Bacterial meningitis appears rather quickly and can be difficult to treat even with the most advanced medicines." He lowered his file and stared at Kagome, his eyes locking with hers, determination glittering in their dark depths. "I will do everything in my power to help your daughter. I believe, since we caught it so early, that there is a good chance she will survive. It might get a little rough, and you do need to know that after surviving a severe bout of bacterial meningitis every two out of ten children later experience difficulties."

"What kind of difficulties?" Her voice was weaker than she wanted it to be, making her curse herself.

He frowned slightly, as if he wished the he didn't have to provide her with the truthful answer. "There is a slim possibility of her developing long-term issues such as visual troubles, deafness or a hearing impairment, seizures, paralysis, or decreased mental function."

He said it matter of fact, almost robotically, and it shook the air around them. Kagome felt unsteady, as if at any moment she would collapse and simply cease to be. Her hand shot over to grab Inuyasha's. Her fingers wound around his painfully, but he didn't say anything. He only wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulder, stopping playing with her hair, and squeezed her hand back reassuringly.

"We need to take her blood and do the spinal tap now…" He trailed off, looking over at Haruna with her unstable breathing. He seemed to carefully analyze the beeps from the heart monitor before he continued. "If her breathing gets any worse we may need to intubate her."

"Intubate?" Inuyasha's voice was gruff, as if he was suppressing his own unshed tears.

"It means that we may need to insert a breathing tube down her throat in order to help her continue breathing."

Kagome felt her heart stutter. This new reality… Their new reality… Was absolutely fucking terrifying…

"My name is Dr. Hiromasa." He tried to smile reassuringly at them, but it came out looking more like a wince. "We need to begin now. Could you please sign these forms for the procedures?"

He handed Kagome the forms and she stared down at them blankly. Only after Inuyasha nudged her slightly did her eyes skim the pages before her hand obligatorily signed her name. As soon as she was finished Dr. Hiromasa snatched them from her and was off.

She turned big eyes to look at Inuyasha. His jaw was set, muscles clenched, as he stared off after the retreating doctor. "Inuyasha?" His ears flickered towards her, but his eyes moved to gaze lovingly at Haruna.

"I know…" He whispered. He tightened his grip around her before retracting his arm and letting go of her hand, leaving her feeling cold. She couldn't help but wish for his comforting presence to console her again. She was about to speak, maybe reach out for his hand once more, when two nurses scurried into the room. She winced as she watched them carefully draw blood from Haruna. It was only once they had finished that Haruna groggily woke up.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to rid herself of sleep. "Mommy?" Her hair was messed and she looked so adorably confused that Kagome couldn't help but jump forward and pull her little girl into her chest.

"Mommy is here now. So is Daddy."

"Where am I?" She squirmed her way out of Kagome's arms to look around at the nearly barren hospital room. She was on a small stiff bed covered in abnormally white sheets. A small TV hung from the ceiling in the far left corner and there was a door straight across from her that led to the bathroom. Beside that, there was only the two lumpy chairs that Inuyasha and Kagome had been siting in. The machines beeped around them and Haruna's head spun around to take in the noise. Kagome felt Inuyasha move and lean against the bed so that Haruna could see him too.

"Remember, I brought you to the hospital?"

Haruna's eyes widened slightly as she tried to process the vague memory. "I think so?"

Inuyasha nodded and reached out a hand to grab Haruna's. Kagome's heart swelled at the sight of his large hand protectively grasping her little one. "You're a little sick, but we are going to make you all better. Dr. Hiromasa said so." He smiled reassuringly at her.

Haruna looked a bit confused but nodded. She reached up her other hand to gently rub Inuyasha's right ear. He sighed and leaned into the touch. Haruna smirked, nearly like her usual self.

"I wish I had ears like you Daddy."

Kagome sat back in her chair but kept herself leaned close to the bed as she watched Inuyasha and Haruna interact. He had a power over their little girl, Haruna would simply glow when he was around. Kagome figured that she still hadn't fully recovered form the shock of getting to meet her father. Inuyasha was still like a superstar to Haruna…

Secretly, she hoped it would always be like that.

Two nurses and Dr. Hiromasa walked into the room then. Kagome felt her muscles tense as Haruna's eyes shot wide in fear.

"We need to do the spinal tap now and insert her IV. She needs medicine and fluids." His tone was flat, unemotional, and seemingly uncaring. Kagome steadied herself, trying not to let her fear and frustration spill over. He probably only acted like that to protect his own emotions. His uncaring expression was just a mask, it had cracked earlier, she had seen it. She breathed deeply before nodding curtly at them. The nurses set to work. One left before returning with a few supplies while the other instructed Haruna to lay on her side, clutching her knees up towards her chest.

Haruna did as she was told, her arms shaking. Kagome leaned forward, resting one hand against her trembling leg, as Inuyasha leaned close to Haruna and kissed her forehead softly. He leaned back, a soft smile on his worried face.

"It's going to be ok. It will be quick. This will help make you better. They need to take some fluid from your back." Kagome kept her tone soft, not wanting to scare Haruna. Inuyasha reached forward and wrapped both of Haruna's hands up in his.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you pup. If it hurts, just squeeze my hands, ok? Think about something happy. Like what I taught you earlier. Remember?" Haruna nodded. Still visibly nervous, but at least she wasn't shaking anymore.

"We need to start now." Dr. Hiromasa stated. Kagome glanced behind Haruna to see what they were about to do and immediately wished she hadn't. Her hand had tightened involuntarily around Haruna's leg which only made Haruna's eyes flash over to her in a panic.

"It's ok Haruna. We are here for you. Think about something happy, like Daddy said." Haruna closed her eyes, her little eyebrows pinched together, as she tried to recall a happier time.

Kagome, on the other hand, couldn't drag her eyes away from the needle that was pointing towards Haruna's lower back. One nurse had pulled up Haruna's hospital gown in order to wipe the area with a swab to make sure it was clean before the second nurse handed Dr. Hiromasa the long needle. He placed one gloved hand firmly on Haruna's side to make sure she wouldn't move as his other expertly aligned the needle at the correct point of her spine.

"One, two, three…" He pushed the needle in, slowly and with confidence. Kagome felt Haruna tense beneath her, so she gently rubbed her thumb across Haruna's skin. "One more second…" He was all business, throughly taking care of the procedure with a shocking amount of calm that made Kagome happy that he was their doctor. "And… done…" He pulled the needle out the rest of the way and handed it to one nurse while the other came forward to wipe the small amount of blood from the puncture mark before covering it with a band-aid. "Stay in that position for a moment more and then you can slowly move onto your back, alright?" Kagome nodded at him, letting him know that she had heard his instructions. His eyes flashed towards Inuyasha and Haruna which made her move her attention as well.

Haruna's eyes were still pinched closed, her breathing a bit ragged, while Inuyasha had his forehead pressed against hers whispering something too soft for any human ears to hear.

"I'll let you know the results as soon as I can. The nurse will come back in just a few minutes to give Haruna her IV. As soon as the diagnosis is confirmed we will start the antibiotic drip." He waited a minute, seemingly frozen at the door as he watched the worried family before him. His head bowed and he shook it slightly, as if defeated, before he finally turned and exited the room.

A few minutes later, not wanting to break the impossible-to-hear conversation between Haruna and Inuyasha, Kagome gently pushed Haruna so that she would be laying on her back. Inuyasha was still propped up close to her, his lips moving but his words were lost on Kagome. But, she could see Haruna smiling. With their advanced hearing they could have secret conversations.

She couldn't help but feel jealous and proud at the same time.

One of the nurses came back into the room and Kagome held Haruna's hand tightly while the nurse inserted the IV into her other one. Haruna's grip tightened as the IV invaded her skin. Kagome winced as she watched the nurse finish her work. Clearly, she had been doing this for years, probably hundreds of times by now. She did it smoothly, making sure not to cause Haruna any more pain than necessary.

Haruna's golden eyes flashed over to her hand, seeing the IV there her face went even paler before she leaned over and puked. Luckily, the nurse had noticed her change and had caught the majority of Haruna's puke within a small silver bowl.

"How about I wrap that IV up so you don't have to see it, ok?"

Haruna nodded, a bit incoherent, as Kagome reached forward to gently wipe the remaining throw up from her chin. The nurse took out some gauze and wrapped it around Haruna's hand, hiding where the IV entered her skin. All you could see was a thin tube protruding from the wrapping leading up to a bag of fluids hanging beside Haruna's hospital bed. The nurse looked at the bag and adjusted the amount of drip into the tube before turning to smile warmly at them. "We just have her on some fluids now. Once the test results are back we will start her on the antibiotics."

Inuyasha nodded at her but didn't look away from the pale pup in front of him. The nurse didn't mind, she simply turned and left, leaving them to their own devices. Kagome picked up her chair and carried it around to the other side of the bed so that Inuyasha and herself could each take up sentry beside Haruna.

"I love you, Haruna. Everything is going to be alright." Kagome's voice was soft. She tried to make herself sound confident but it came out flat, as if she didn't fully trust in her own words. "Everything is going to be alright…" She repeated as she ran her fingers through Haruna's silky hair, untangling the few knots gently as she went. It seemed to soothe Haruna, who sighed peacefully as her eyelids fluttered closed. "We're here baby girl…" It came out breathy, almost impossible to hear, but she knew the two partial demons beside her had heard her words.

As soon as Haruna had fallen back into a fitful sleep, her breathing still slightly ragged, Inuyasha lifted his head to meet her eyes. Something indecipherable passed between them in that moment. Fear? Longing? Love? She didn't know. All she knew for sure was that they were both being consumed by a type of terror that could only be imagined. There was no way to accurately describe it. The fear of possibly loosing their child, of loosing Haruna, tore her heart in half and made silent tears fall down her cheeks.

He leaned forward, reaching carefully over Haruna, to wipe away her tears gently with his clawed thumb. "I'm scared too, Kagome…" His voice was so deep that it made her shudder. He pulled away slightly, seemingly worried that he had done something wrong, and settled back into his chair.

Kagome smiled vaguely at him, hoping that he would realize that she wasn't upset with him. She tried, really tried, to muster up a real smile but it only came out forced and lackluster. Inuyasha's gaze was locked on Haruna and the love emitting from his expression was simply beautiful.

This is what it meant for Haruna to have a father.

This, right here, the look on his face… It was what she had longed to see ever since she had found out she was pregnant.

Yet, a small part of her still couldn't help but be angry with him. She knew, logically, that it wasn't his fault that he wasn't around. But, at the time, she had felt that he had downright abandoned them. It was hard to shake that prejudice and she hated herself a little bit more every time that she used her irrational anger and resentment against him.

This was her family, right here, right now. Inuyasha hadn't abandoned them. He loved Haruna more than anything else in this world, that was obvious. Kagome became lost in her thoughts as memories of Haruna growing up swam through her mind.

Nearly an hour later Dr. Hiromasa entered the room, a grim look on his face. Kagome steeled herself for what he was about to say, her hands clutching the white sheets of Haruna's bed.

"It's as I feared, she has bacterial meningitis. The nurse is coming now to start her on a regime of extremely strong antibiotics." He glanced down at Haruna before his eyes traveled over to the heart monitor, analyzing its every beep. "Has her breathing remained ragged this entire time?"

Kagome's voice left her, her throat suddenly dry and incapable of use. Thankfully, Inuyasha spoke up. His voice strong yet laced with worry. "Yes… It seemed to get a bit better earlier, but it's getting worse now."

"I see…" Dr. Hiromasa made a note in his file before looking back up at Kagome. "I want to send her down for an X-ray and a CT scan just to make sure everything is alright. I will need you to sign some forms and then we can begin the treatment." He took a few jolting steps forward before he nearly shoved the release forms into Kagome's face. A soft growl from across the bed made him wince and soften his posture. "Sorry, I'm just in a rush. The nurse will be in soon to collect those and bring Haruna down for the imaging." He spun on his heel and left, nearly a blur in his haste.

Kagome couldn't help but smirk. Inuyasha was still eyeing where the doctor had left, his lip curled up in a predatory growl. She glanced at the forms before signing them. A moment later a nurse hurried in and took the forms from her before she began raising the guardrails on the sides of the bed so that Haruna couldn't fall off.

Haruna was still sleeping which worried Kagome. The nurse told them that they had to stay in the room while Haruna was getting scanned and it was only after an intense stare down between Inuyasha and the unstoppable nurse that they relented and agreed to stay put in Haruna's hospital room. Inuyasha moved his chair so that they were siting side by side and his hand wormed its way into hers.

It was comforting, in more ways than one.

By the time Haruna was rolled back into the room she was semi-awake. Her breathing had become even more labored and as soon as she saw her parents her little arms reached out to them. Kagome rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Haruna's small frame, careful to mind the IV cord. Inuyasha slid back into his seat, a false bravado on his face as he gave Haruna his trademarked smirk. Kagome could see right through him, but she tried her best to play along.

They needed to be positive for Haruna and for themselves. There was no point in only focusing on the worst case scenario. That wasn't going to help anything at all.

"An X-ray, huh? Bet that was interesting." He nudged Haruna playfully and Kagome visibly relaxed when she saw Haruna fully return his smile.

"Yea! It was so big and they put this heavy blanket on me. Something 'bout… 'bout…"

"Radiation?" Kagome supplied.

"Yea!" Haruna clapped her hands together excitedly. "Radiation… But, I thought it was weird. Don't you get X-rays when you break a bone?"

Inuyasha poked her forehead, something Kagome was coming to learn that he loved to do to Haruna. "You do, but you can use it for other things too. What about the other machine you went in?"

Haruna's face scrunched up. "I didn't like that one. I had to lie really still and the noise it made hurt my ears."

"That's 'cause we have better hearing than most people pup. I don't like machine noise either."

Haruna nodded and folded her arms across her chest as if in firm agreement with him. "I think we should outlaw them. All machines. Buh-bye!" She waved dramatically making Kagome giggle slightly. It was good to see her with a little bit of energy. She was a bit more like herself. Even though Kagome had no idea where she had learned the word 'outlaw'. She guessed that's just what you get when you have an extremely advanced five year old.

Even though she was smiling like her old self Kagome could see the way that her chest rose and fell in rapid succession. She was still having a hard time breathing. Inuyasha and her shared a knowing look and Kagome silently begged that they wouldn't have to intubate her.

A half hour later Haruna had worn herself out. She was leaning back into the bed now, the blanket pulled up tight around her. The nurse had come in shortly after they had brought Haruna back and had hooked up an antibiotic drip to Haruna's IV. Now, they were just waiting for the doctor. Haruna's fever still hadn't ceased and some very small red dots had begun to appear on her legs and back.

Meningitis…

Kagome wanted to strangle the disease with her bare hands for making her little girl suffer like this.

Dr. Hiromasa finally returned, the results from the tests clutched tightly in his hand. "First, we need to insert a catheter into Haruna so that we can accurately monitor her hydration levels…"

"And what about the tests?" Kagome snapped. She wanted the results already. Inuyasha's ears twisted towards her in surprise, but the look on his face held approval for her outburst.

The doctor sighed and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "We managed to identify the exact strain of her bacterial meningitis and have started the appropriate treatment. While in for her CT scan we noticed the red marks appearing on her body, so it is absolutely essential that we continue full-on with this regime. She is going to need at least a week on the antibiotics here at the hospital. At that point, I will re-evaluate her and decide whether or not she has improved enough to return home and be treated as an out patient."

The sound of Inuyasha's growl invaded the room as his impatience grew at the doctor still not answering Kagome's question. The doctor startled, making Kagome smirk slightly, before he continued.

"As for the results of the recent tests, if it gets worse within the next few hours we will have to intubate her." The air in the room froze as the seriousness of the situation managed to escalate even further. "I'm hoping that we don't have to do that… We have little to no research on how well quarter-demons heal. We don't understand how fast their immune system can recuperate and exactly how well it can fight something like this. Now, don't quote me on this, but I'm hoping that due to her demonic heritage she will have a better chance at making it through this unscathed."

She heard Inuyasha sigh and she silently prayed that the enhanced healing that Haruna had would be enough to get her through this. Just then, when her eyes met Inuyasha's, the sound from the heart monitor changed.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, it erupted into chaos.

Dr. Hiromasa rushed to the heart monitor, examining it closely before leaning down to press his cold stethoscope against Haruna's chest. Understanding dawned on his face and he turned to flash Kagome and Inuyasha a knowing look as he pressed the nurse call button. Two nurses hurried into the room, both looking a bit flustered, as Dr. Hiromasa began calmly issuing commands.

Kagome's head was spinning.

The nurses were making her stand up. She couldn't feel her feet. What was happening? What was happening to Haruna? Her heart was in a vice grip as the room began to swirl in front of her. She heard Inuyasha's voice as he demanded to stay, but yet another nurse hurried into the room and tried to push him back.

Which, of course, was impossible due to his half-demon strength.

The nurses glared at him as he came over to wrap a protective arm around Kagome's thin waist and drag her towards the corner of the hospital room. The staff didn't have time to argue with him. Haruna was more important. They set to work, bringing in equipment, and beginning the processes of intubating Haruna.

Kagome couldn't breath.

She felt herself gasping, trying to draw in shaky breaths that did little to nothing to calm her rapidly beating heart. Inuyasha's arm tightened around her, supporting her as her body became more and more numb.

She watched as the staff started to work the hose down Haruna's throat…

That was when she collapsed. The world spun into a dark abyss as a pair of strong arms kept her from falling. Her mind was focused solely on one thing as the darkness enveloped her. _Haruna…_

~Author's Note~

So, this story got serious really fast.

I surprised myself even by going this direction.

But, I really hope that you are still enjoying the story.

Thank you so much for the reviews and PMs last time.

Please, review and let me know what you think. I want to know your thoughts on how the story is progressing, it really matters to me if you are enjoying the story even with its serious content. I find reviews to be extremely encouraging and they help me to write.

Thank you for reading!

~FeudalAi


	6. Chapter 6

Inuyasha felt like his chest was about to explode. How in the world could his heart be beating this fast? Seeing Kagome faint at the same time they were intubating his daughter was beyond words. The pain that rushed his chest had nearly overcome him. But, he had to remain strong. He had to be strong and help the two most precious people in his life through this. He couldn't protect them. He couldn't do anything to save them right now, that was entirely in the doctor's capable hands. But, he could be strong for them.

Still, seeing Kagome's eyes roll back into her head, the whites of her eyes glimmering like a horror movie in the fluorescent lighting, as she collapsed had torn open a new wound inside himself. He had caught her, thank goodness, but now she just sat limply in one of the armchairs beside Haruna. When she had fainted the doctor had glanced up and simply motioned for a nurse to come and help. Dr. Hiromasa had more important things to be concerned with at that moment.

Inuyasha had to look away as they forced the tube further down Haruna's throat…

The nurse was by their side in an instant. He checked Kagome's vitals before telling Inuyasha that she simply fainted. "Give her a few minutes and she will be fine." He had said, his voice soft and knowledgable from years of experience. Inuyasha had nodded quickly before carefully carrying Kagome over to one of the unoccupied chairs and that's where she stayed. A few minutes later the staff had finished intubating Haruna and the nurses departed the room. Dr. Hiromasa stayed behind, a warning written on his face.

"She may want to try and talk. You can't let her. She may panic when she wakes up. You can't let her. You must keep her calm and tell her to breath normal. We can remove the tube as soon as she is stable enough to handle breathing on her own. We also inserted a catheter for the duration of her stay here. It may be a bit uncomfortable for her at first." The doctor turned a caring eye towards Kagome. "I doubt she will be out much longer. If she is, call a nurse and we will admit her as well. But, I don't think that will be necessary. When she wakes up make sure she gets some water. She's probably a bit dehydrated. She could use some sugar as well." He walked around the bed and stood next to Inuyasha. Inuyasha's arms were crossed defensively and he couldn't help the small protective growl that slipped out. "Don't worry… You just keep them calm and happy. I know its hard… I know…" Dr. Hiromasa turned a knowing look towards Haruna, a level of unimaginable grief echoed on his face. "But, you have to stay strong for them right now. Someone has to do it. I've seen too many families fall apart because one person doesn't…" He seemed to catch himself mid-rant, realizing that it was a bit unprofessional to discuss how other families dealt with serious situations like theirs. He shook his head before running a hand through his wavy locks. "Just, be there for them, ok?" He sounded tired, as if the world had worn him out.

Inuyasha nodded. "I will." The doctor looked at him one more time before he departed as well. Inuyasha looked back toward his girls. These two people, Kagome and Haruna, meant so much to him. It was unbearable to think about them in pain. The fear that gripped his heart upon seeing a tube sticking out of his baby girl's mouth would forever haunt him. He walked over and sat down in the chair beside Kagome's. Gently, he reached over one calloused hand to run his claws through her hair, skillfully detangling any knots as he went. Only a moment later he felt her tense up before she took in a deep, shaky breath.

"Wha?" She turned before reaching up a hand to press against her forehead. He withdrew his own. He didn't want her to think that now, of all times, he was trying to come on to her. Her wide eyes found his and she looked at him dazed and confused. "What happened?" Her voice was weak, half-hearted, as if she had lost her spirit.

"You fainted while they were intubating Haruna." He watched as her eyes found the tube leaving Haruna's mouth and she visibly flinched. "Kagome…" He reached over his hand, gently laying it on top of hers. "It's going to be ok."

"You don't know that…" It came out as soft as a whisper.

"Yes, it is. It's going to be ok."

"No!" She snatched away her hand and stood up on wobbly legs. He immediately stood up too, ready to catch her if she fell. She turned wild eyes toward Haruna, her hands curled up in balls in front of her chest, as if she was shielding herself from the world. "You don't know that!"

He smelt the tears before he saw them.

An instant later he had taken her into his arms, wrapping himself around her to pull her close as she violently sobbed into his chest. She was shaking and muttering incomprehensible words as he simply rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"You… you don't know that… don't know…" It came out in short bursts, words that she could mange to work out of her sore throat between sobs.

He squeezed her tighter before pulling her back so that they were face to face, only a few inches separating them. He reached up one hand to brush away the stray hair that had fallen in her face before he grasped her chin gently in order to make her look him dead in the eye.

"I do know. Haruna is going to be ok. Haruna is going to be ok because she has to be ok. Alright?" He said it with so much determination, so much confidence, that luckily she missed the quivering of his body. He was scared shitless. He couldn't deny that to himself, but he could sure put on a strong front in front of Kagome.

It was simple, Haruna had to be ok. Or else… Or else…

He couldn't even think about it.

"I'm going to go get you some water and candy, ok? Dr. Hiromasa said you needed water and sugar." Kagome nodded numbly, her gaze distant as her eyes never left Haruna. She sat down in her chair and with one last glance Inuyasha left the room.

The cold and unemotional walls of the hospital corridor only seemed to make his terror press in more upon himself. His claws cut deep into his hands and he cursed himself as the memory of Haruna not liking that floated back through his mind. Haruna… His baby girl. He had only just started getting to know her. She couldn't… She couldn't…

She COULDN'T die.

He could feel the scowl on his face but he didn't care. He reached a vending machine and forced the money into it with more force than was really necessary. He took pleasure in denting the machine slightly as he slammed the money into it. A moment later a satisfying 'clink' sounded as a bottle of water, and then a bag of chocolates, fell to the floor of the machine. He reached down, shoving his hand through the push panel and snatching the items before he stormed away. All he wanted to do was punch it.

He just wanted to hurt something.

He wanted to hurt what was doing this to them, but there was no enemy that he could physically fight. He could handle anything physical. A physical threat was easy to take care of, easy to defeat, a simple goal that he could easily accomplish to diminish his own anguish. But, this enemy lied in secret. He couldn't attack it. He could no less tear his nails into it, turning it into a bloody mess, than he could a cloud. On second thought, he would prefer if his enemy was a cloud because then at least he could see it. He was fighting an invisible enemy that he couldn't physically hurt. There was nothing he could do.

That killed him. He was supposed to protect them. He was supposed to protect his family. He had failed them.

Logically, he knew that it wasn't his fault. But, he wasn't thinking logically right now. He was a ball of emotions. Fury and desperation were the top two emotions that wracked his body and it was taking his all not to give into them, not to let his demonic side slip out and go on a rampage in the woods far from the crowded hospital and busy city.

He steadied himself before he entered the hospital room again. He took a deep breath, inhaling the unpleasant scent of chemicals and sanitizer laced with profound sickness, before he stepped back inside and moved to take his seat beside Kagome's.

She turned to look at him, a small thanks escaping her lips as he handed her what he had bought. She cracked the water, the sound of the top snapping was sharp in the quiet room, before taking a large gulp of it. He didn't look at her, his ears and eyes were trained on Haruna's chest, watching the small rise and fall of her breaths as he listened to the now steady rhythm of her heartbeat.

She was breathing. Her heartbeat was steady. Those thoughts comforted him, they helped to cage the demon back up inside himself.

The heartbeat monitor picked up slightly and Kagome and him both turned expectant eyes toward Haruna. She was moving slightly on the bed, her eyelids fluttering open as her little hands came up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. At first, she looked peaceful, like she had just awoken from a long nights sleep, but then he saw the panic settle in her eyes as her hands accidentally found the tube attached to her mouth.

Tears immediately pricked her eyes, he could smell them, as she turned to look at them in fear. Her hands came up to her mouth as she felt around where the tube entered her, her lips taped closed. Startled, she tried to reach for the tube but he was faster. He snatched her hands and gently pulled them down to rest against her sides. She looked at him like he had betrayed her and he had to stifle the pain that swelled up inside him from the sight.

It was one thing to see her hurt.

It was another to see her looking at him like that.

Two different kinds of pain, intense in their own ways. He never knew that one person could feel so much in one moment, but here he was, his entire being swallowed by the hell he was currently in.

"Don't look at me like that pup." His voice was gruff, demanding, the alpha in him exerting his dominance. He felt her still beneath him, no longer fighting the way he restrained her arms, but that defiant look in her eyes never wavered. He sighed and gently released her wrists before lifting a hand to poke her forehead. He smirked, but she looked just as hurt as before. "You can't pull it out. I know it must be uncomfortable…" Her little arms came up to cross on top of her chest while she arched an eyebrow at him. Wow, had she really picked up on his attitude that fast or had she always been like that? He heard Kagome stifle a giggle and it helped to lighten the tense atmosphere. "They had to put that in so that you could breathe. You can't talk. I know that sucks. Like, really sucks." He poked her forehead again and this time she relaxed, her eyes evaluating him warily as she listened to his words. "But, it's going to make you better, and that's what we all want. Ok? So promise me, you wont mess with it, alright?

She looked at him, her golden eyes searching his, before she nodded. He could see that she wanted to smile by the way her lips pulled at the tape that kept her mouth shut so that she couldn't talk. He smiled back at her before leaning his head down into the space by her shoulder, smothering his nose in her hair, letting her soft scent invade him. This was his daughter and nothing, absolutely nothing, could happen to her.

He leaned back and quickly wiped a tear from his eye. He knew Kagome hadn't caught it, but Haruna gave him a knowing look. He sat back down in his chair, his hands shaking slightly so he balled them into fists, containing his anger and fear as best he could.

Kagome leaned forward, reaching one hand out to gently place it on top of Haruna's. Haruna visibly relaxed at the touch, the look of anger on her face dissipating as she took in her parents faces. He knew that she wanted to talk, that it was already infuriating her that she couldn't speak… He wanted to help her but he didn't know how.

Eventually, Haruna drifted back to sleep exhausted from the emotional events of the day and from the harsh medicine fighting the bacterial meningitis that had invaded her tiny body. Kagome fell asleep too, one hand on top of Haruna's while her head rested on his shoulder. He couldn't sleep. His heart was still sputtering out of control and he secretly intwined his hand with Kagome's free one. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, treasuring the soft feeling of her skin as he breathed in their scents. Their sweet perfume was polluted by the smell of antiseptic and sickness that filled the room, but he could still find it. It was there, under all the other smells, the smell of the people he cherished the most in this world. It was a good thing half-demons didn't need a lot of sleep because he knew that until Haruna was doing better he wasn't going to be able to get a wink. Instead, he stayed up all night keeping an ever watchful eye on the people he loved, his ears carefully trained on the sound of Haruna's light heartbeat.

The following few days went by much smoother. Slowly, Haruna was improving. They had gotten her a whiteboard so that she could practice writing. They went over her ABC's, her numbers, and even shapes. She had simply rolled her eyes at her incorrigible parents. Kagome was being especially over-enthusiastic. Every simple answer that Haruna got right made her jump for joy as she praised Haruna excessively. While at first Haruna seemed to enjoy the attention, by now it was clear her Mom was driving her nuts. She was a smart girl, she didn't want to be praised for something that was easy for her. By the third day in the hospital she had written a word on the board which shut Kagome up.

'Stop'.

Inuyasha couldn't hold back a small laugh and Haruna tried her best to smirk with the tube in. Luckily, Kagome wasn't that upset. She brushed off what Haruna had written and began to only praise her enthusiastically when she did something that was difficult. Even though she was in the hospital and didn't need to study she kept pushing them to teach her more and more. Whenever she was awake she wanted to learn. She didn't want to get behind her fellow classmates.

She was an overachiever and Inuyasha loved her for that.

Four days after intubating her they were finally able to remove the tube. Kagome had tensed up and reached for Inuyasha's hand. She squeezed it hard but he didn't mind. They both waited with bated breath as the tube was removed from Haruna. As soon as it was completely out they painstakingly waited to see if her breathing would definitely continue on its own. Inuyasha had sighed loudly as soon as he heard her breaths. She was breathing again, without the use of the tube. Haruna had turned and smiled big up at them, like she had just accomplished a huge feat, and to them she had.

They had rushed her, wrapping her up in their arms until they were just one puddle. You couldn't tell where one person began and the other ended. The pain in Inuyasha's chest began to lighten and the worry that had been festering inside of him for days on end had started to dissipate. When they finally released her Haruna looked up at them with happy tears in her eyes. Then, she opened her mouth and tried to speak. But, no sound came out.

Inuyasha spun his head around to look accusingly at Dr. Hiromasa. "Why can't she talk?"

Dr. Hiromasa smiled patiently. "She can, I presume, her throat is just raw from the tube and underuse. Give it a day or two and she should be back to normal. Right, Haruna?" He stuck a thumbs-up her way and she smiled slightly before giving him a thumbs-up back. "Now, she is healing rather rapidly. Luckily, the medicine is working and along with her demonic heritage she is overcoming the meningitis." His eyebrows knitted together and Inuyasha knew there was something that he wasn't saying. Something the good doctor was keeping secret from them.

Inuyasha waited until the doctor left before making an excuse to leave the room. He followed after the doctor, catching him only a minute or two later by the nurse's desk. "What's the deal? What are you hiding?"

Dr. Hiromasa looked startled. Inuyasha's sudden appearance throwing him nearly off-balance. He straightened himself, patting his lab coat down as if stifling his own nerves. "I'm not hiding anything, Inuyasha. I already told Kagome and yourself about the possible complications that can come from having bacterial meningitis. I don't see why we should worry Haruna about any of those issues when she, so far, hasn't shown any signs of developing them." He turned determined eyes onto Inuyasha, making him feel dumb for not realizing what the doctor was doing sooner. "Of course, its up to you two if you want to tell her about the possible dangers." The space between them seemed to freeze over for a moment before Inuyasha backed away, never answering the doctor, and only just managing to hide his own embarrassment.

The next two days went by in a blur. Haruna had finally regained her voice. It was weak, but he could just hear it. The color was back in her face and she was regaining her old enthusiasm. But, there was one thing that bothered Inuyasha. He tried not to think about it, really, he did. But, it was becoming impossible to ignore.

Kagome seemed to be pretty ignorant of it. He assumed that she was allowing herself to inhabit a perfect world where nothing was wrong so that she wouldn't have to suffer the pain of reality quite so soon. Each day at that hospital was a strain on all of them, but especially on him. He still hadn't slept, had hardly even eaten, since he had rushed Haruna to the hospital. Even with his half-demon body he couldn't continue like this for much longer. He could feel that his temper was becoming short, even though he took it out on the nurses instead of Kagome or Haruna. He had to be strong in front of them. He kept up a front, never letting them see through his shield to how terrified he had been.

Now, a new fear was creeping up inside himself and he felt like he was going to burst. He couldn't handle this. His body was worn out and his mind felt frayed. He needed rest but his instincts wouldn't allow him. He would stay awake, he would keep watch, until Haruna left the hospital.

Then, and only then, would he rest.

Inuyasha listened to his daughter. She was talking, her voice slightly louder than it normally was which made it hurt his ears. It was almost as if she was half yelling, unaware of how loud she was actually being. A few times he had called out to her and she hadn't responded. It was only after he had raised his voice and called out again that she would turn her head to give him a dazzling smile.

He was worried. Really, worried. He remembered the list of possible complications that Dr. Hiromasa had told them about. He knew what could happen to her…

But, to see it happening, to realize that Haruna and Kagome hadn't noticed it yet, split him in two. He would have to tell them and soon. He had talked about it briefly with Dr. Hiromasa. As soon as he had admitted his fear the doctor had taken Haruna down for some tests. The results would be in soon. They were going to tell the girls, together, to help soften the blow.

Inuyasha tested Haruna one more time, calling out to her at a volume that she used to be able to hear… There was no response.

Haruna was loosing her hearing.

She could still hear them if they talked loudly. She could still hear herself talk. But, he could tell it was fading with each passing minute. It was gradually becoming worse as they weaned her off of the antibiotics. The more she improved, the worse her hearing got. He felt so torn. Torn that he was so incredibly happy that she was getting better, yet absolutely terrified that her hearing was disappearing. How was it possible to be so happy and sad at the same time?

Losing your hearing would be difficult enough in the first place, but Haruna was part dog-demon. They relied on their senses, especially their enhanced hearing, sight, and smell. It was a part of them, a part of their nature. For a dog-demon to not be able to hear… That was unthinkable.

He didn't know how he could help her adjust, he just knew that he had to find a way, any way, to make her feel better. A part of him still held onto that small shred of hope that he was wrong. That something was just funky with her medicine and it had only messed up her hearing temporarily.

That small shred of hope was what kept him going.

"Daddy!" Haruna smiled up at him, holding out her arms expectantly. She hadn't said it quite right, the vowel pitched in an awkward way, but he pushed it aside. He walked over to his little girl and wrapped his arms around her. When he leaned back he wiggled his eyebrows at her mischievously.

"Here comes the…" Haruna's eyes widened in fake panic and her sweet giggle met his ears. "Tickle monster!" He lightly tickled her sides making her keel over in laughter. He stopped only a few seconds later, he didn't want to wear her out or have her accidentally tug too hard on her IV. Still, the giggles that rebounded in the small room brought some life into the desolate place. Haruna's laugh had that kind of power.

No matter what happened she would always be his baby girl and he would die for her.

"Daddy!" She spurted awkwardly through her giggles. When he withdrew and sat down in the chair beside Kagome again he felt a rare moment of sheer happiness devoid of worry. For that one split moment he was in a perfect bubble where nothing was wrong. Kagome's smile and Haruna's laughter was all that he needed.

Then, that bubbled popped.

Dr. Hiromasa walked in, his face looking grim and his lips were set in a straight line. Inuyasha stood up, he couldn't help it, he feared what that look meant.

It meant that what he was worried about was true.

He gulped, his hands balling into fists yet again, while he waited impatiently for the doctor to speak. Dr. Hiromasa cleared his throat before he began, his voice deep and serious.

"I see your feeling better Haruna."

Haruna nodded enthusiastically which made Inuyasha smile sadly. She didn't know about the life changing news that she was about to hear. These were her last few seconds of wonderful ignorance. Kagome looked up at him confused by his tense body language and he couldn't look back at her. He couldn't meet her eyes. He had failed them. He hadn't been able to protect them.

"Well, that's good. At the rate you're going I'd say that you may be able to leave tomorrow or the day after."

"Really? She can leave so soon?" Kagome's eyes were now fixed on the doctor. Her hopeful expression nearly impossible for Inuyasha to look at. The doctor seemed like a deer caught in the headlights as her big eyes glued upon him. It took him a moment, but he cleared his throat again and continued.

"Yes, really… However, we ran some tests…" Inuyasha flinched already knowing what was about to come. His ears flattened against his head as if he wished he could block out this moment. "The tests didn't come back how we would have liked."

"What do you mean?" Kagome was standing up beside him now, her arms crossed defensively.

The doctor's eyes flickered over to Haruna before landing back on them. "Maybe we should talk in private."

He heard Kagome gulp, his enhanced hearing easily picking up the sudden rise in her heartbeat. She nodded at him and they began to follow the doctor out, an anxious looking Haruna watching their every step.

"We'll be right back pup. Don't worry." Her golden eyes seemed to cling onto him and she relaxed a bit from his words. He smirked before stepping outside the room to confront the doctor. "Spit it out already." He couldn't stop the venom in his voice. He knew, logically, it wasn't the doctor's fault. But, still, he wanted someone to blame. It was so much easier to have something physical to blame instead of a disease that he could never physically harm.

"Well…" Dr. Hiromasa looked up at them, his relatively kind eyes steeling over as he fell back into his mask. "We ran some tests. Almost all of them came back good. She is healing very well. You are very, very lucky. But, her hearing… It's diminishing more each day. We don't know exactly how much it will drop. But, considering how advanced her hearing previously was the impact may be especially startling on her once she realizes what's happening."

"What do you mean?" Kagome snapped. Inuyasha could smell the tears pricking her eyes and, like a coward, he couldn't bear to see her face when she found out the seriousness of the situation.

Dr. Hiromasa took a moment to evaluate both of them before his steady gaze focused on Kagome's fiery eyes. "Haruna is loosing her hearing. It has already dropped well below that of a normal human's. My conclusion is that she will be exceedingly hard of hearing, nearly completely deaf. She will need a hearing aid. There is also a surgery you could consider which would give her a cochlear implant." The doctor gave them a moment to soak that in before he continued. "I am sorry. Don't quote me on this, but because of Haruna's advanced healing abilities I am hoping that her ears may be able to heal. While they have not shown progress in that regard so far, her healing abilities have helped her a lot during her time here. I can only hope that they are still working, albeit seemingly slowly, at fixing her hearing loss. However, practically, for now and the foreseeable future your daughter is nearly clinically deaf."

Kagome's tears spilled over almost instantly. Her hands clutched onto his arm as she pulled herself closer to him. He let her, cherishing the comfort that her closeness brought him. He leaned down to press his lips gently against her forehead as his nose breathed in her scent. Kagome stiffened slightly when his lips met her skin, but relaxed again as she pulled herself closer into him. He wrapped himself around her and held her close as she cried, a traitorous tear or two escaping him as well. The doctor looked at them sadly before turning to depart, leaving them alone in their grief.

"We… We need to… To tell… Haruna…" It came out between sobbing hiccups. Kagome leaned back and wiped her now red eyes. It was clear she had been crying and Haruna would be able to tell instantly from the sight and smell. Inuyasha reached up a clawed thumb to wipe away one of her stray tears before he ran his fingers reflexively through her hair.

"I know."

"She's going to be devastated." Kagome's voice quivered and Inuyasha had to bite his tongue, the metallic taste of blood slightly invading his mouth, to keep from pulling her in close and never letting go.

"I know." He sighed deeply and took a step away from Kagome. The small movement away from her weighed on his soul as the distance between them seemed to grow. "But, she has us."

"She has us." Kagome repeated, as if to herself.

They steadied themselves and walked into Haruna's hospital room. The beeping of machines greeted his ears and Haruna eyed their teary faces warily.

"What's wrong Mommy?" Haruna's voice was pitchy and she scrunched her face up as if confused.

They went over to her, each taking up one side of the bed and grabbing her hand. By now, Haruna knew that something was wrong. Her eyes were flicking desperately between their faces as she tried to understand what was going on. Inuyasha squeezed her hand slightly, careful not to exert too much pressure, as he tried to comfort her.

"Baby, you're ok and you know that Mommy and Daddy love you very much right? That we will always be here for you and that we would do anything for you?" Kagome spoke louder than normal and Haruna seemed to hear most of the words as she nodded her head, her hair bouncing around her shoulders.

Inuyasha could smell her tears already. Haruna was smart. She knew that something was wrong with her.

Kagome's gaze captured Inuyasha's for a moment before she steeled herself and turned back to Haruna.

"You're losing your hearing. It's ok though. We will get you a really good hearing aid and we will get through this, together…" Her eyes flashed to Inuyasha before she continued. "As a family…"

Inuyasha wanted to cry.

Haruna did cry.

The tears came spilling out as her little arms moved to wrap around Kagome's waist. Kagome gently placed a hand on the back of Haruna's head and pulled her in closer to her chest, her fingers stroking through her hair as she hummed Haruna's favorite lullaby.

Inuyasha's mind was a mess.

Kagome had called them a family. It was the first time he had ever heard her say those words. But, his happiness was squashed by the anguish he felt about not being able to save Haruna from this pain.

He stood up, his eyes wide in panic as his hands kept reflexively clenching and unclenching into tight fists. He took a shaky step back, then another… Kagome's knowing eyes came up to meet his and she nodded slightly. Just like that, he was gone. He sprinted out into the hallway, his breath coming in ragged and sharp as all the emotions he had been keeping inside spilt over. The tears fell, he couldn't stop them. He was exhausted and hungry. His emotional state was like a typhoon, dramatic and violent.

His little girl…

In a blind rage of emotions he turned and took out his anger on the wall. His fist barreled through the plaster, easily breaking it as his arm dove in all the way up to his elbow. The hollow bang of the wall breaking made everyone in the corridor freeze.

It was only once he had punched the wall, his fist relishing in the gentle pain it had given him, that he realized what he had done. He retracted his arm slowly before he began to storm away, marching down the corridor fast so that no one could stop him. The tears still hadn't stilled and so he sprinted. He sprinted outside of the building into the fresh air. He let the coolness of it clear his mind, returning his sanity.

It had felt damn good to punch that wall.

He had needed to take his anger out on something, just hopefully the hospital didn't file any criminal complaints against him for property damage.

He knew what he had to do now. His hand was shaking slightly as he withdrew it from his pocket, retrieving his phone. He clicked the contact that he needed and held the phone up to his face as the annoying ringing sounded.

On the second ring the person picked up and Inuyasha steeled himself for the conversation he was about to have.

"Hello, Inuyasha." The voice was cold, seemingly unemotional, but Inuyasha knew better by now.

"Hello, Sesshomaru. I need your help."

~Author's Note~

So, what do you think?

Thank you so much for the reviews last time.

I am going to try to stick to a schedule where I update every Tuesday and Friday. This may vary slightly, but hopefully I'll be able to stick to it.

Please review! I love to hear your thoughts on what's happening.

~ FeudalAi


	7. Chapter 7

The very next day they fitted Haruna with a temporary hearing aid. Kagome could hardly hold her tears in as she watched her baby girl stifle her own tears, her snotty nose draining as she tried to control herself.

It was heartbreaking.

The reality of the situation was really clicking in for Haruna. Her ears kept worsening. She would look at Kagome and Inuyasha blankly, unable to hear the words they were saying. As soon as she realized that they had indeed been talking, it was just lost on her, she would loose it. All the tears would spill over again and Inuyasha was the only one who could comfort her. He would pick her up and slide her onto his lap, wrapping his arms protectively around her as she curled into a tight ball, pulling herself in closer to him. He would lean down his head to rest lightly on top of hers. Kagome could hear the rumble in his chest and while she knew Haruna couldn't hear it, she could feel it. Haruna would press the palm of her small hand against Inuyasha's chest and eventually the feeling would soothe her.

The next day Dr. Hiromasa finally told them that Haruna was stable enough to return home. They had to recalibrate Haruna's hearing aid again, increasing the volume, before she left. He told her as soon as her hearing leveled off he would be able to have her fitted with a permanent hearing aid.

"Plus…" He whispered, his voice thoughtful. "You can always consider giving her a cochlear implant. She is still young enough for it to be of the most use to her growing up."

Inuyasha had growled at the idea, but Kagome was secretly contemplating it. All she knew for now was that she was going to have to do research before she broached the idea with Inuyasha.

When they finally left the hospital Haruna wouldn't release either of their hands. She clung to them as if her life depended on it. Kagome squeezed her hand back lightly, reassuringly. She glanced at Inuyasha and they shared the same concerned look. Their previously carefree girl wasn't ever going to be quite the same… She would never have that same level of innocence that she had possessed before entering the hospital.

When they reached Kagome's apartment Haruna released her hand and dashed to her bedroom. The loud slam of the door told her that Haruna had escaped into her own little world. She glanced back up at Inuyasha and saw him flinching in the direction Haruna had disappeared in.

"She's crying again." His voice was soft, weak, defeated. Now that she really stopped to look at him, he looked utterly exhausted. His once glossy hair seemed greasy and his eyes had dark bags hanging beneath them.

With a sudden pang of guilty she wondered when the last time he slept was.

She wanted to say something. She wanted to reach out to him. She didn't want him to feel so alone in this pain that they both shared. Yet, she found her hand stilled. She couldn't reach out to him. She just couldn't be that person for him… Not now…

Before she could even get a word out Inuyasha was lightly pushing past her and heading towards Haruna's room. She followed behind him. He opened the door slowly only to be greeted by a sobbing Haruna curled up on her bed, a stuffed dog pulled tight against her chest. Her watery eyes rose to look at him and her lips trembled as she tried to speak.

"Da… Daddy!" It came out stuttered, unsure. It was obvious that she couldn't hear how the word sounded anymore. Kagome spied the temporary hearing aid thrown, forgotten, on the floor. Inuyasha rushed over to once again wrap his little girl up in his arms while Kagome bent down to pick up the discarded item. She walked over to Haruna who eyed the object warily. Kagome held it out to her, a soft smile on her face, until Haruna nodded. Kagome gently brushed back Haruna's silver hair and carefully slid the hearing aid back into its proper place.

"Is that better?" Kagome raised her voice slightly. Haruna nodded, but she looked exceedingly unhappy about having the device back in her ear.

"Come on pup, it's not all bad." Inuyasha pulled Haruna tighter against him while she continued to snuggle her stuffed dog, her face shoved into its fluffy material.

"Yes, it is." Came her muffled and somewhat stuttered response.

Inuyasha sighed deeply and Kagome felt it down to her very bones. There was nothing they could really do for Haruna right now except for be there for her. Kagome eyed them one more time before she left Haruna's room to go and make some homemade chicken noodle soup, one of Haruna's favorite foods.

Kagome wasn't sure how she was going to handle this.

The thought of Haruna having her hearing taken from her… Of meningitis taking away something so precious… Simply tore her apart inside. All she knew was that she had to be strong. She had to somehow find the courage, find the will, to be strong for her little girl. With a resigned sigh she finished making the soup and poured it into a bowl. She sat the bowl on the table and walked back to Haruna's room. When she entered the sight pulled at her heart.

Inuyasha was rocking Haruna gently, running his fingers through her hair, as she sniffled. Her big golden eyes were staring up at him adoringly. Kagome leaned against the door frame, slouching slightly as she looked at them. Her fingers tightened when Inuyasha's ears swiveled over momentarily in her direction.

He had been so strong.

He had always been strong. She knew that. He had needed to be strong his whole life just because of what he was. Even though the population of half-demons was growing, there was still a stigma against them in wide parts of the community. Demons still tended to shun them while humans never fully wanted to integrate them into society. Slowly, over time, that attitude had begun to change. Humans were more moldable, which allowed their attitudes to shape easier over time. Half-demons were allowed into schools, jobs, positions of power that were previously never accessible. Demons, on the other hand, could be stubborn bastards. While they would work and live alongside half-demons it was still hard for half-demons to be promoted within demon held companies and personal relationships were relatively non-existent.

Times were changing, but still it didn't always feel like it was fast enough.

Inuyasha had always been strong, but she had never seen his true strength until this whole ordeal with Haruna. She had only seen him falter that one time after telling Haruna about her ears. His eyes had screamed for an escape and she had granted him it. He had sprinted out of the room and her heart had clenched at the sight of his departure. She could see the bags under his eyes, she could tell how weary his was, how exhausted he looked. She already knew it had been days since he had probably slept, but when was the last time he had at least bothered to eat?

She shook off the thoughts as she walked over to them, leaning down slightly so that she could meet their golden eyes.

"The food is ready."

Haruna frowned slightly, her hands holding onto Inuyasha's shirt tighter.

Kagome smirked. "Its chicken noodle soup." Haruna's eyes snapped up to her's, her old glow back on her face. She nodded slightly as she fumbled out of Inuyasha's grip to scurry out to the table in the living room. Inuyasha looked up at Kagome, his own smirk weak on his face. "You should eat too."

He averted his gaze. "I know."

Kagome walked over and nudged him slightly. "So, what you waiting for?"

He stood up slowly. His eyes met hers and they lingered there. She couldn't read his expression. It looked so torn. She could see the pain in his eyes, the longing, the wishes that could never be granted. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to think, her breath caught in her throat as his eyes evaluated her.

He was searching her. For what, she didn't know.

With a heavy sigh his shoulders relaxed and he seemed to collapse in on himself, shutting doors and building walls around his heart as he followed Haruna out to the living room. Kagome took in a shaky breath, her hand lifting to press against her erratically beating heart.

"Why?" She muttered it so softly it would be impossible for his hearing to pick it up. Pain and confusion etched her voice as she frowned at herself. Why was her heart acting like this… She didn't want to be with him. She didn't. Did she?

She shoved the thought forcefully from her mind as she followed them back out to the living room. By the time she got there Haruna was already almost finished with her food and Inuyasha had already gulped down half his bowl. She smirked, his never-ending appetite had always amused her. But, the way he had devoured the food really showed just how hungry he was. She walked over and leaned down to brush a stray hair behind Haruna's ear.

"Done?"

She nodded, a big yawn escaping her.

"Let's get you ready for bed." She nodded sleepily, the good food lulling her into the sweet embrace of sleep. Kagome helped her up and led her to the bedroom as she carefully helped her get dressed in a pair of pajamas. It was nice… Haruna hadn't let her help her with her clothes in nearly six months. When they were finished a sleepy Haruna flopped into her bed, pulling the covers up tight around her.

"Mommy?"

Kagome knelt down beside her. "Yea, baby?"

"Can Daddy stay tonight?"

The question made her freeze, but the needy look on Haruna's face easily made her push aside her own apprehensions. This wasn't about her, this was about Haruna . Kagome nodded. "Yes, he can stay."

Haruna smiled and closed her eyes. Her mouth mumbling something wordlessly as she fell asleep. Kagome watched her for a moment, treasuring this time… Life was precious. This was precious. This time with Haruna could disappear in an instant. She didn't know what may or may not happen. But, happiness could be snatched away in an instant. Kagome shook slightly as images of Haruna in the hospital flashed through her mind, the fear of loosing her gripped her again. She gently removed Haruna's hearing aid before placing it on the nightstand. With shaky breaths she leaned forward to press a gently kiss against Haruna's forehead.

"Goodnight."

She stood up and left the room, leaving the door open. Inuyasha had already washed up the dishes and was siting on the couch. He looked over at her and smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, Kagome."

She walked over and collapsed on the couch beside him, making sure to leave a large gap between them. "No problem." She glanced at him, careful not to let him see. "When's the last time you slept?"

He looked at her, catching her eyes. "I don't know. Sometime before I brought Haruna to the hospital."

She felt her jaw drop and had to slam it shut. The look of amusement on his face quickly faded as his exhaustion continued to set in. "I didn't know…"

"Not your fault." He huffed.

She stiffened. She could feel the walls he had put up. She could feel the enhanced distance between them. She also knew she could fix it with just a few words…

Yet, she didn't. She couldn't. She simply couldn't let down her own walls to help him dismantle his own. He had closed up. She sighed and stood up, running her hand through her hair anxiously. "There are some pillows and blankets in the hallway closet. The couch pushes down so it's decently comfortable." She looked at him one more time. She could only see the back of his head form where she was standing. He was already slouching more into the couch, relaxing into the soft material. "See you in the morning, Inuyasha."

She heard a gruff 'keh' as his ears lowered, defeated. She huffed, the sudden gust of air sounded violent in the silent room. She turned, it was only once she was about to step into her bedroom that she heard him speak again.

"Goodnight, Kagome…"

She wasn't even sure if he knew she had heard it. All she was sure of was the way her heartbeat stuttered as she walked into her room, making sure to leave the door open.

Early the next morning the beeping of her phone woke her up. She rolled over, lazily brushing her hair out of her face, as she reached over to pull her phone towards her. A text message flashed on her phone and, as annoyed as she was about the early wake up, the text still made her smile.

Daichi: I hope Haruna is doing better.

She smiled. She had to run out of her date with Daichi when she got the call from Sango about Haruna entering the hospital. She had been so flustered, in complete panic, and he had driven her over to the hospital without a word said about it. He didn't care, he knew that the health of her daughter was more important than anything else in this world. Every few days he would message her, asking how everything was going, and making sure she was ok.

Kagome thought it was sweet.

Yet, something nagged at the back of her mind. It wanted her to ignore Daichi, brush off his advances. It was still early, she could make a clean getaway. It begged her to listen.

She ignored it.

Before she had the chance to reply her phone dinged again.

Daichi: I hope that once everything settles down we can finish that date.

A rush of butterflies stormed her stomach and she took a deep breath before she replied, shunning the part of her that begged her to do otherwise.

Kagome: I'd like that.

She put down her phone and stood up. She straightened her tank top and pajama pants before stepping out of her room. She walked over to the couch, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, before she nearly face planted onto the floor.

Her eyes grew to the size of sauces as she took in the sight of a half-naked half-demon sleeping soundly on her couch.

She had forgotten he was there.

Her mouth dried out and she gulped, trying to control the suddenly frantic thoughts within her head. Her eyes trailed up his abs, realizing that they were somehow even more defined than when he was younger. She felt her palms start to sweat as she took in the sight of him. His ears twitched in his sleep, one arm dangling off the couch, his mouth opened as he snored lightly. She had never known him to snore before… He must have been exhausted for him to sink to that level of sleep. Her eyes greedily sucked in the sight of him, memorizing every inch of him. Every curve, every crease, every muscle. Her breath hitched in her throat and his face scrunched up, his ears twitching at the noise.

She stuttered, nearly tripping over herself as she scurried into the kitchen. A moment later she heard a small groan from the couch and she forced herself not to turn to him. Instead, she started making him eggs with toast.

"Is she up yet?" His voice was gruff with leftover sleep. A smile inadvertently spread across her face, but she kept her concentration on the frying pan in front of her. Cracking an egg to sizzle in the pan.

"Not yet." She dared a glance at him only to see his back toward her, hunched over, his ears pointed at her.

She heard a muffled 'humph' that told her he acknowledged what she had said. She gently flipped the egg with her spatula just as the toast finished. She reached over and spread a thin layer of butter on top of the toast, enjoying watching it as it melted onto the bread. She looked back at the egg, the gentle sizzle and pop as it finished cooking pleasing to the ear. She gently lifted it up and laid it on top of the piece of toast. Just the way she knew he liked it. She picked up the plate and walked over to him pushing it into his hands.

His golden eyes flashed over to her's for only a moment before he looked back at his breakfast. "Thanks…" His voice was soft and distant. He picked up the toast and took a bite. He devoured it quickly, hunger still evident on his face. When he finished he lowered his head, his bangs hiding his eyes. "You remembered…" He muttered.

She couldn't look at him, she turned her head to look the other way. "Of course I did."

She felt him stiffen. "Why? Why do you remember something so little like that?"

She took a deep breath, debating on how honest she should be with him. Her internal war waged on as she forced herself to begin speaking, regardless of the consequences. "Because I loved you. I remember everything."

The air between them became thick and heavy. Somehow, impossibly, he seemed to become only more tense beside her.

"It doesn't matter. Just something I remembered." Her voice came out weak, a half-muffled excuse.

She felt him adjust, probably turning to face her, but she still couldn't will herself to face him. "I screwed up, didn't I?"

The breath caught in her throat. The pain in his voice… Did it mean what she thought it meant? It sounded so full of regret, so full of something more. Some kind of longing that she couldn't quite grasp. Her mouth gaped like a fish, unable to find the words to form any coherent response.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Haruna's shrill cry stole their attention. In a flash he was a silver blur, making it into her room faster than she could even dream. When she reached Haruna's room she found Haruna in a panic. Her eyes wide, sweat making her hair stick to her forehead, her little hands squeezing the life out of her stuffed dog.

As soon as Kagome entered the room Haruna's tears spilt over. Her lip quivered as the dam broke open. Her eyes searched theirs and Kagome dashed forward to pull Haruna against her.

"I… I can't hear…" It came out pitchy. Haruna was unsure of her words. She couldn't hear how she sounded, how her pronunciation was, so she stumbled through them. Inuyasha spied the hearing aid on the nightstand and he quickly snatched it up to put into her ear.

"Better?" Inuyasha raised his voice slightly.

Haruna nodded her teary face and Kagome rubbed her back, soothing her pain. A few minutes later Haruna's tears dried up and Inuyasha reached out to pick her up and ruffle her hair, making her shriek playfully.

"How about some food?" Haruna nodded back at her and Inuyasha carried her out to the living room, keeping her entertained while Kagome made the same exact breakfast for her too. Inuyasha glanced up at her questioningly as she sat down the plate in front of Haruna. "What?" She smirked at him. "It's her favorite too."

Inuyasha blushed slightly before returning his attention to Haruna.

The rest of the day seemed to go buy in a blur. By the time the day came to an end, an exhausted Haruna tucked back into bed, Kagome felt exhausted. The whole day Inuyasha had been like a lifeline for Haruna. She would cling to him as he guided her through her newly deaf world. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to feel. Seeing Inuyasha like that with Haruna was like a daydream. Surreal in the utmost of ways.

Kagome fell onto the couch beside him. His head was leaned back against the backrest, his eyes closed as he relaxed. Her phone beeped and she turned her weary gaze to the screen.

Daichi: I have the perfect book you could give to Haruna. Next time I see you I'll bring a copy.

Kagome smiled softly. A soft rosy glow highlighting her cheekbones.

"Who's that?"

Kagome looked over to see that Inuyasha had cracked one eye open to look at her. His ears firmly fixed on her. Kagome's blush deepened as she quickly hid the screen.

"Just Daichi."

"Daichi?" He was fully awake now, his head up and alert, his eyes evaluating her every small movement. She felt uncomfortable underneath his gaze, like she had somehow betrayed him. She brushed off the illogical thought, but she still couldn't ignore the way her heart betrayed her mind.

"He was who I went on that date with."

His face seemed to tense momentarily. Then, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch, his arms coming up to cross against his chest protectively. "Keh." The silence seemed to drag on, the tension only escalating. Eventually, she saw his face scrunch up before he gained the will to speak. He still didn't open his eyes, but she knew he was paying attention to every small movement she made. "Are you… Are you going to go out with him again?" His voice cracked slightly and she saw the way he tensed because of it.

She averted her gaze once again, unable to look at the confusing emotions flashing across his face. "I think so…" It came out shaky, unsure, as if she doubted her own decision.

Ah, sometimes she hated the way her heart messed with her head.

"He's nice. He runs a small bookstore. He… He seems like a good guy."

She knew from the way he flinched slightly that he didn't miss the subtle jab she had thrown in there. She wanted a 'good' guy because Inuyasha hadn't turned out to be one.

He huffed and when she looked back he had turned his head away from her, his arms somehow tightened even more across his chest. "Can I ask something?"

He sounded so trepidatious, so cautious, that she couldn't help but want to know his question. "Shoot."

"How many people have you dated? Anything serious?"

Kagome gulped and forced herself to answer. They had to get to know each other again. They had to become friends. She reminded herself about that again and again. He had proven that he was a good father so far. He had been there for Haruna. He was there for both of them, supporting them, when they needed him most. This was just one step forward. A painful step, maybe. But, still… It was a step toward the friendship they needed.

"Three, not counting Daichi. Nothing serious. There was this one, Hojo was his name, that only droned on and on about holistic medical remedies. Bored me out of my mind, I nearly fell asleep at the dinner table."

He snorted and Kagome couldn't help but laugh slightly at the annoying memory. "How about you?"

He turned his golden gaze onto her and she felt frozen, rooted to the spot. He took a shaky breath before he answered her. "Five. One time things. Kikyo made six." She saw the way his fists clenched when he said her name and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Regardless of everything else, Kikyo had kept him away from his daughter. Something which Kagome had realized, after that first proper meeting at the playground, that he would never have done. He would have never abandoned them. He would have been there for her and for Haruna.

"Oh…" A stab of pain rang through her chest as she imagined the faceless beautiful women he must have gone out with. "I see…"

He looked over at her, panic lacing his gaze. "It wasn't like that." He ran a hand through his hair, nervously ruffling it. "I was stupid. I was young."

"I know Inuyasha." She couldn't help but snap. He didn't reply. The tension settled back into the air so she decided to change the topic, annoyed with thinking about their past. "This appointment tomorrow… I've been meaning to ask you how you got it." She quirked an eyebrow at him inquisitively.

He seemed confused by the sudden change in topic but rolled with the punches. In the morning they had an appointment with an extremely well-known ear doctor. They were going to get an extremely advanced and expensive hearing aid custom fitted for Haruna. She had been wondering how he got the appointment since he announced the news two days prior. Even Dr. Hiromasa had been surprised. Not just anyone could get an appointment with that doctor. It was difficult.

He smirked, seemingly happy with the change in conversation as well. "Sesshomaru set it up for me."

Kagome felt the look of surprise swamp her face and she couldn't rein it back in. Sesshomaru? He hated Inuyasha. At least, when she had been around, the two barely spoke a word to each other. They had only barely tolerated each other's presence.

His smirk only grew from her astounded look. "A lot has changed Kagome. He has changed. Well, sorta anyway." He laughed and the sound was like music to her ears. "He was royally pissed at me when he found out I had a pup."

"When did he find out?"

He looked a bit sheepish as he replied. "The day we told Haruna about her ears."

"Inuyasha!" She playfully pushed him. He looked away a bit embarrassed.

"I wasn't sure how to tell him, ya know?"

She smiled understandingly. Still, her confusion only continued to mount as her questions grew.

"He is the CEO of this big Medical Equipment Corporation. They provide medical equipment to all the hospitals and clinics within a 100 mile radius. He has a lot of pull in the medical community. He got the appointment for Haruna."

Kagome's surprise only continued as her mouth dropped open into a small 'oh'. She shook herself, trying to at least get one more of her newly formed questions answered. "That still doesn't explain why… You two… Don't hate each other?" Her voice raised toward the end, her confusion obvious.

He smirked yet again. "Let's just say that someone changed his mind." Kagome raised her eyebrow at him. That didn't exactly answer her question. He laughed slightly before he continued. "He married this human girl named Rin. She is super nice. She's about eight months pregnant with their first pup. He's had to kind of readjust his attitude toward half-demons, ya know?" He couldn't keep the smirk off his face.

Kagome's mind was trying to race up to the new information. It seemed improbable. Impossible, even. For Sesshomaru to have married a human… Kagome was going to reply when her phone beeped, startling her from her train of thought. She turned to look at her phone, smiling fondly down at the new message.

Daichi: Goodnight, Kagome.

Kagome: Goodnight.

When she looked back up Inuyasha had turned away from her. The tension that had disappeared during their talk about Sesshomaru was slowly returning. He pulled off his shirt and heat spread throughout her body. She stood up quickly and turned so that he wouldn't see her flushed cheeks as she hoped and prayed that he couldn't smell the way her body had immediately reacted to him.

"Goodnight, Kagome." His voice was the sweetest sound and it made her shudder.

"Goodnight…" She muttered as she quickly escaped into her bedroom. As soon as she was inside the mess of feelings inside her began to swell and swirl. They overtook her, claiming all of her senses as she tried to adjust. She wanted to hate herself for the way her heart was desperately trying to overtake her brain. The feelings swirled inside in one giant confusing bubble.

"I'm not going to let him in again… I'm not… I'm not… I'm not going to let him in again… I can't… It hurts too much…" She muttered it on repeat, under her breath, until she finally succumbed to sleep. The sweet darkness that swallowed her was more than welcome. For that night, at least, all her problems could disappear.

~Author's Note~

I would like to send a huge thank you to Amaya Rosenguard and Jcminns for the reviews on chapter six.

Please, review and let me know your thoughts!

~ FeudalAi


	8. Chapter 8

Inuyasha frowned. It was near impossible to keep a smile on his face unless Haruna or Kagome were looking at him and, right now, they both had their backs turned. Kagome was patiently trying to persuade Haruna to wear her new hearing aid. After their meeting with the specialist, the doctor had fitted Haruna for one of the most advanced hearing aids available. It had arrived nearly a week later. Haruna had gone to get it fitted and the sensitivity adjusted yesterday.

Still, when she woke up this morning she wanted nothing to do with the new machine. He couldn't blame her exactly, he wouldn't want to stick it in his ear either. He hated having to see her wear it. He hated that look of confusion in her eyes when she couldn't understand what was going on around them. She had found out about her ears only about a week and a half ago, yet so much had changed. She had become much more skittish around other people, especially when they were outside in crowds. She would cling to him and he would squeeze her back reassuringly. He wasn't going to let anything bad happen to his pup. He knew that she felt lost within a hearing world. She was a part of it, yet separate at the same time. Her old personality kept pulling at her. He could see it in bits and pieces, right when she would temporarily forget that she had lost the majority of her hearing. Then, as soon as the empty sound registered, she would fall back into her newly shy and skittish attitude.

It was breaking his heart.

He had barely gotten to know Haruna before this all happened, yet the difference was startling. Kagome wasn't handling it very well. He could smell her tears every night. He still hadn't left her place. He slept on the couch, or on the floor next to Haruna's bed on bad nights. Sometimes, she would start screaming in her sleep and when he would rush into the room she would be flailing around in her blankets. It wasn't until he gently poked her forehead that her eyes would flutter open and the tears would start. On those nights he stayed by her side, sleeping on the floor so that she could always see him there, protecting her.

But, today was a special day and Haruna needed to wear her new hearing aid.

"Haruna, put it in." Haruna's golden eyes flashed up to his, a look of betrayal laced within their apprehensive nature. His voice was firm, demanding, and she obeyed him. She gingerly reached out and slid the hearing aid into her ear and turned it on all by herself. When she was finished she glared at him and he had to look away. Kagome stood up, a look of relief on her face after Haruna finally put the hearing aid in.

"Well, are you ready to go?" Kagome's voice was filled with fake excitement.

They were going to meet Sesshomaru and Rin today. They were meeting at a small cafe a couple of blocks away. Nothing too busy. He could tell that Kagome was a bit nervous to come face-to-face with Sesshomaru again. After all, she had only known him when his heart was completely iced over. Inuyasha wouldn't say that Sesshomaru had completely thawed or anything, but there was defiantly a level of gentleness and understanding there that simply hadn't existed before Rin.

Haruna nodded slightly, her smile not reaching her eyes, and reached for each of their hands. They obliged and left the house. Once out in the fresh air he sucked in a deep breath, inhaling all the smells that surrounded them.

The sweet smell of Kagome and Haruna rose to meet his nose and he couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face.

By the time they reached the cafe Haruna was skipping between them. She always did that. Once she realized there was no one else around she would fall back into who she really is. Once she caught site of the two people before her though, she stilled. To be fair, Sesshomaru was an intimidating presence. He sat, nearly regal looking, in a stiff tux. He glanced at them with no hint of warmth in his eyes. His markings highlighting his face and clearly showing the prestige of his heritage. He shifted slightly so that he could evaluate the coming group and Inuyasha growled softly. Sesshomaru smiled slightly, it was so small that it was barely even noticeable, as if to say 'what are you going to do about it?'. Inuyasha felt his growl deepen but he forced himself to stop. This wasn't the time to be overly protective. Sesshomaru wasn't who he used to be. That was proven by the woman beside him.

Rin was dressed in a bright flowing top that made her look like sunshine. Her smile bounced off of everything around her and she couldn't contain the glow on her face. The kind of glow that only pregnancy could give… He felt a tugging on his heart and squeezed Haruna's hand a bit tighter. He never got to see Kagome swollen with his pup… That time was stolen from him…

The new growl that ripped unexpectedly from his throat was for a whole different reason. Sesshomaru's eyebrows furrowed and Inuyasha regained his calm. Sometimes his anger at Kikyo would rush up inside himself and he couldn't stop it from spilling out. More than once he had found some unoffending object to vent his frustrations on.

He would never be able to forgive her.

He would never be ok with all the time he missed.

All he could do was learn to live with it.

He sighed heavily before he felt a small tug on his arm. He turned to look down at Haruna. She looked a bit worried. Her eyes were flashing between Inuyasha and the stranger who looked some-what like him, the silver hair and golden eyes were a dead giveaway. Kagome tugged on Haruna's other arm slightly so that she would turn her head to look at her. They were a mere couple feet from the table outside the small cafe now and Rin was nearly bouncing out of her seat in excitement.

Kagome kneeled down and smiled warmly at Haruna. Haruna kept nervously glancing at the new people, unable to keep her attention solely on her Mom. "This is Sesshomaru and Rin. Sesshomaru is your Daddy's older brother. So, that means that they are your Aunt and Uncle." Haruna turned to analyze the two more closely. "You can trust them." Kagome's voice sounded a bit unsure to him. He could smell the apprehension lingering on her.

But, he was sure, with Haruna's decreased hearing she hadn't heard the waver in Kagome's voice and thus probably never bothered to check her scent for deception. They walked the rest of the way up to the table and Inuyasha sat down beside Sesshomaru, Kagome next to Rin, and Haruna safely in the middle.

Before they could even speak Rin had leaned forward. She looked simply exuberant.

"Haruna! I'm so happy to meet you!" Her intoxicatingly bright smile forced Haruna to smile as well as she looked at the overly cheerful woman.

"Me too." It came out shaky, unsure, and Haruna's smile dipped because of it.

Rin, on the other hand, never faltered. Her smile somehow only managed to grow as she dipped her hand into her gigantic purse and withdrew a small stuffed dog that looked suspiciously like Sesshomaru in his dog form. Inuyasha's ears twitched in his direction and he could have sworn that he saw the tinniest of blushes on Sesshomaru's pale cheeks.

"Sesshomaru bought this for you. He was so excited to find out about you." Rin held out the stuffed dog and Haruna eagerly accepted it, staring at the markings in wonder as she looked first at the toy and then her newfound Uncle. "He picked it out." Rin winked.

Inuyasha had to stifle the sudden laugh that threatened to overtake him when he saw Sesshomaru's blush grow. Sesshomaru shot an icy glare at Inuyasha, but he didn't care. He simply crossed his arms and muffled out a half-laughing 'keh'. He couldn't even begin to imagine Sesshomaru in a toy store. It almost looked like they had hired someone specifically to make a toy designed after him.

As cold as he as on the outside, sometimes he was a big old softy on the inside.

"Th… Thank you." Came Haruna's stuttered response. Sesshomaru turned his now emotionless face to her and only nodded slightly. Haruna stared up at him in wonder, seemingly amazed by the full-demon in front of her. She tilted her head inquisitively until she pointed from the top of Inuyasha's head to the top of Sesshomaru's. "Ears?"

Inuyasha felt his face drop slightly. Sesshomaru on the other hand kept perfectly clam, completely unfazed by the question and his response. "We are half brothers. I am full demon, like our Father. He is merely half-demon."

Rin shot Sesshomaru a glare that chilled Inuyasha to the bone. "Just like our child will be." She snapped. She huffed and looked away from him, her hand coming up to rest on top of her extremely swollen stomach. Sesshomaru's eyes flashed down to her pregnant belly, but he didn't respond.

Haruna's eyes were wide as she digested that new information. Neither Kagome or him had thought to fill her in with the details of the confusing relationship between the two men. Things had never exactly been easily. They had only just tolerated each other until recently. Inuyasha wouldn't say they were close, but they did at least speak.

"Like what I would have if Daddy or Mommy married again?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly in shock. If Inuyasha didn't know him as well as he did even he would have missed it. Rin's head snapped around and her gaze collided with Sesshomaru's before he stifle nodded.

Haruna leaned back in her chair, nodding affirmatively to herself. "That's what I thought." It was stuttered and broken, but Inuyasha was just glad she was trying to speak. Haruna loved to talk. She was smart. She loved to learn and interact. The quiet girl that had taken her place felt alien to him and he didn't like that. He smiled down at his pup.

"The new hearing aid is wonderful, thank you for arranging the appointment." Kagome's voice was soft, still a little unsure of Sesshomaru. His cold gaze fell on her and Inuyasha could hear the way her heart accelerated in anxiety. Still, she put on a strong face. Even when worried she was a force to be reckoned with.

"It was no problem." Rin answered for her silent husband. "I'm just glad it helps." She looked inquisitively at Haruna, who was once again examining her new toy, before glancing worryingly back at Kagome. "Do you need anything else? We…" Her gaze flickered toward Sesshomaru and he shrugged. "We want to help in any way we can."

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and bit the inside of his cheek. He had absolutely no idea what she was going to say. He wanted to be the one to take care of them, but even he had to admit that the help Sesshomaru could provide was vital. He couldn't turn it down. He was even the one to request it in the first place. Still, there were still some issues that Kagome and him didn't quite agree on. Namely, the cochlear implant.

They discussed it with the specialist and Dr. Hiromasa. It involved inserting part of the device into the side of Haruna's head. It would be permanent. If installed her slim chance of healing normally would go out the window. He had wanted to punch something when he saw Kagome seriously considering the idea. She was like a sponge, greedily sucking up all the information the doctor offered while fervently asking questions.

Still, all she seemed to be focused on were the positives.

While he, on the other hand, could only focus on the risks. There was always the chance of complications. For instance, when inserting the cochlear implant Haruna could loose any residual hearing that she has in that ear. There were other, even rarer, risks such as bleeding, infection, device malfunction, facial nerve weakness, ringing int he ear, dizziness, and poor hearing… Plus, there was always the long term risk of her meningitis resurfacing due to the location of the implant.

Yes, maybe, with the implant she would be able to regain some form of hearing.

But, to him, the risks were simply too great.

A big part of him was clinging to the idea that her demonic heritage would help her to heal. While, yes, she hadn't shown any signs of improvement since the hospital he still couldn't help but cling to that shred of hope. He wanted to believe that the powerful demonic blood his Father had passed down would be strong enough even within her quarter-demon body.

If they did the implant there was no going back. There was no way to undo it. It would be irreversible and have a permanent impact on Haruna, for better or worse.

They had nearly gotten into an argument when they left the doctor's office as he vented his worries about the surgery. She had listened with a half-dazed face, as if she was lured by the idea of Haruna having any kind of hearing again, even if it would be extremely different and much more limited than what she was used to.

Inuyasha had said, "For a dog demon, that would be torture."

Kagome had snapped back at him, "Isn't it torture already? Haruna lost her hearing, now all we can do is move forward step by step."

He had only sighed and marched away from her defiantly.

Now, as he sat at the table watching Haruna play with her new toy, he knew that more than ever Kagome and him had to figure this whole thing out. Kagome's word couldn't be law anymore. He needed to be involved in decisions, especially in life-altering ones.

Kagome only smiled politely at Rin, not voicing the concerns that Inuyasha knew laced her heart. "Thank you, Rin. We'll let you know."

"Keh." He pouted, sliding back more into his chair. Sesshomaru shot him a nearly debilitating look and he faltered, forcing himself to sit up properly again.

"Anyways…" Rin's eyes moved slowly from Inuyasha to Sesshomaru before landing back on Haruna. "I hear your very smart." Her warm smile encouraged Haruna to speak up, regardless of the fact that she was extremely self-conscious about her voice.

"Yea! I go to this fancy school. We learn lots of things. I really like Math class. I know all my numbers now and I even know how to add and subtract!" Haruna sounded so much like her old self that Inuyasha couldn't help but smile warmly down at her.

This was Haruna. The happy, cheerful, brainiac child… Not the shy and skittish person who had been posing as her for the last few days.

"That's right, she is very smart." He couldn't help the warmth in his voice as he looked proudly at her.

"Didn't come from you." Sesshomaru's voice was like ice, but the tinniest bit of mirth laid within it.

"Keh." Inuyasha smirked and leaned back, unfazed by Sesshomaru's statement. After all, the big ice turd was right. It hadn't come from it. He was smart in his own way, but not in anything school related.

"Mommy, when do I get to go back to school?" It came out pitchy and all wrong. Haruna's face scrunched up, but she tried to force the sadness away as her expectant eyes turned to a panicked Kagome.

"Um… Ah…" Kagome's eyes dashed desperately around the table before landing upon Inuyasha's. He didn't know what to say either. He was rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to think. When would Haruna be going back to school? The hearing aid was working alright so far, but it wouldn't be very helpful with the multitude of sounds that invaded a kindergarten classroom. All the voices, all the noises, Haruna wouldn't be able to concentrate on just one. It would all swamp her and overwhelm her. Kagome plastered on a fake smile. "I don't know sweetie. When would you like to go back?"

Haruna was so excited she was bouncing in her seat. She looked more alive than she had since he brought her to the hospital. As weird as it was for him, this girl loved school. He couldn't fathom that. But, for some inexplicable reason, Haruna was obsessed with learning.

"Soon! Please!" She hugged the toy tighter to her chest and Inuyasha could have sworn he saw Sesshomaru smile out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, I'll have to call the school and see…"

"Yay!" Haruna cut her off, bounding between the seats to wrap her arms around Kagome's neck.

Rin giggled while Sesshomaru stifled the barest of laughs.

"Yep, she defiantly loves school." Rin's voice was all warmth, her hands moving lovingly across her belly. "Do you want to feel, Haruna?"

Haruna's big eyes traveled to Rin's belly and she excitedly scrambled down to walk over to Rin. Moments before her small hand touched the swollen surface her golden eyes looked up at Inuyasha. He nodded slightly and that was all the encouragement she needed. Her little hand found its way to the center of her belly and her eyes lit up with amazement.

"That's your cousin in there… Hopefully he will be smart like you."

"He?" Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow.

Rin nodded but didn't look away from the entranced girl before her. "Yep, it's a boy."

Inuyasha saw Sesshomaru flinch. He couldn't figure him out. Sesshomaru loved Rin, Inuyasha knew that. Rin was pregnant with his pup, yet he kept acting almost indifferent towards the whole thing. What was his deal? Inuyasha couldn't help but squint his eyes at him, letting his frustration with Sesshomaru's behavior clearly radiate off of him.

He desperately wished that he had gotten to see Kagome's pregnancy.

So, why on Earth was Sesshomaru squandering it?

Sesshomaru cleared his throat and Rin looked up at him as if awoken from a dream.

"Time to go, Rin."

"Oh, yes, I guess it is." She said after glancing at her watch. "We have a doctor appointment for this little guy." She pointed at her stomach. "Let's meet again soon though, ok? I hope you will all come to the hospital for the birth."

Sesshomaru growled but Rin and everyone else at the table ignored him.

"Of course we will." Kagome smiled and stood up to hug Rin before taking Haruna's hand and leading her over to where Inuyasha was now waiting.

They waved their goodbyes to a smiling Rin. Sesshomaru never bothered to turn around and look at them. He didn't wave, he didn't say goodbye… He was Sesshomaru after all. As much as Rin had changed him for the better, he was still a cold bastard.

They walked home hand-in-hand with a much happier Haruna than before. She was bouncing around and talking about Rin's belly. She had even felt the baby kick! Inuyasha tried not to let his mood sour, but images of pictures he had seen of Kagome pregnant were flashing through his mind. She looked over at him and they shared a sorrowful look. He huffed. Guess that they were both feeling the pain from missing that time with each other. All he would ever get to see were pictures, he would never be able to experience that time. From the looks of it, he would never get to have that experience with Kagome…

After all, she had been happily texting away with Daichi ever since they left the hospital. It irked him. He knew that it shouldn't, but each time her phone went off and she smiled the smile that only he used to be able to give her… It simply ticked him off. He tried to squash his feelings for her, but they were rebounding faster than he could amputate them. He knew it was pointless. He knew that she had given up on him.

But, shit, did he miss her.

Even though she was right next to him the feeling consumed his very soul. He had no idea that it would be this hard to be around Kagome again. His heart had never given up on her and know that she was within reach, and he couldn't have her, it was torture. Over and over again he would remind himself that it was his own damn fault, but the beast inside him would rear its ugly head and say, 'so what?'.

He gulped, swallowing down his feelings. This wasn't the time. His feelings didn't come first. He wasn't the one who truly mattered. Haruna… That was who mattered.

When they finally got back to Kagome's apartment and tucked Haruna into bed the two of them sat on the couch. It was always a bit awkward after Haruna went to sleep. It was just the two of them… Two early for either to sleep but too late to go and do anything else except for sit next to each other on the couch in awkward silence.

Then, Kagome's phone beeped, breaking the silence he had come to rely on. A beep meant a message. A beep meant Daichi. He hated the beep. He peeked over at her through his bangs and hated the way his heart lurched at the way she was smiling down at her phone. He crossed his arms defensively and slouched back into the couch, as if protecting his heart from unwanted harm.

"You actually gonna go out on a date with him again?" His voice seemed to shake the air. Kagome gasped, the sweet intake of breath pleasant to his ears, before she regained her composure.

"Yea… I think so…" She trailed off, the silence deafening as his heart thrummed away in panic. "Maybe next week… If, well, if you will watch Haruna?"

His eyes snapped up to her and he couldn't help the retort he spit out. "So, what, you trust me with her now?" She looked down, a guilty look splattering her face, and immediately Inuyasha felt bad. "Sorry." He coughed.

"No… Don't say sorry." He could hear her heartbeat escalate just slightly and it made his ears fully tune onto the woman beside him. "I didn't trust you before… But, now, things are different. Ya know?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes and he understood, he really did, so he simply nodded in response. "I… I don't want to be alone forever Inuyasha."

He felt her words grate through him like a knife. It was unbearable, the way his insides felt like they were being cut open only to crumble to pieces. Is this how she felt when he had left? He couldn't bear to think about it. He had hurt so much as it was after their break up… But, to go through this kind of pain, it was something entirely different. His hands clenched against his sides, the slight pain of his elongated nails cutting into his skin a pleasant distraction from the pain storming his heart.

"I know." He muttered, it came out gravely and insecure.

Her eyes lingered on him before she sighed and leaned back into the couch. "Want a snack?"

He didn't look over at her, but his stomach growled in response. He always wanted more food.

She laughed slightly and the sound made the corners of his lips twitch up in the barest of smiles. "I guess that's a yes. I'm in the mood for breakfast. Egg on toast, maybe with some cheese?" He didn't need to answer her, the way his ears flicked in excitement told her everything she needed to know.

Soon the delicious smell of eggs sizzling met his nose and he nearly moaned. He didn't even realize how hungry he was until that exact moment. Only a few minutes later and she was laying down two slices of toast, each with a cooked egg on top, and layered with cheddar cheese. He glanced at her and saw that she had her own and he eagerly reached out for his first piece.

"Eat up." She laughed as he dove into his food.

For those few minutes that he devoured his food, and she ate her's like a sane person, felt almost like the old times when they would laugh, smile, and talk all night. To when she would reach up and gently rub his ears, lulling him into a deep sleep. Oh, how he missed the feeling of her skilled fingers massaging his ears. She hadn't done that at all since they had reunited and he longed to experience that riveting sensation once again.

He stared angrily down at this plate when he finished his food, as if hoping more food would appear magically. Kagome laughed and leaned forward, handing him the last bit of her own.

"I'm full, here, you have the rest." She smiled and he took it from her tentatively, trying not to read more into the simple act than what she had intended. "So…" She began, shifting herself so that she could squarely face him, her demeanor becoming more serious. "We need to make a decision on the cochlear implant."

He stuffed the last piece of food into his mouth and sat up straight. His whole body felt rigid as his eyes met her's with determination. "I don't want it. It's not just the normal risks… If she is healing, and we just don't know it, and we do the implant… There is no going back, Kagome."

She ran a hand through her hair, her fingers twisting and pulling through the knots in her long, dark, tresses. "I know…" Her eyes flickered away, landing on a picture of baby Haruna. "I'm just… I'm so scared to make the wrong decision, Inuyasha."

Tentatively, he reached out and lightly grabbed onto her's, drawing her attention back to him. "I know you are. I am too." Their eyes met and lighting danced between them. The promise of more, the memories of their past, the feeling that swelled in his chest… All those things threatened to overcome him and he had to force himself not to just lean forward and capture her delectable lips with his own.

She wouldn't want that. She had Daichi.

This was neither the time nor the place.

Still, the heart wants what it wants and the look in her eyes ignited a fire in his belly that was near impossible to extinguish.

"Um…" Her mouth opened and closed, as if she was unsure of what to say. Her pink tongue darted out to wet her now dry lips and she averted her gaze. Still, she didn't pull away her hand. Inuyasha's heart stuttered. She wasn't pulling away from him… "I think… I think that I'm against it to." She turned to met him again, her hand still clasped within his own. "Inuyasha, would you, um…"

"Yes?" His voice was much huskier than he had wished, the desire springing up within himself barely contained. She blushed slightly, but didn't avert her eyes.

"Would you be willing to go to sign language classes with Haruna and I?"

Just like that the once blazing embers inside of him fizzled out. His heart once again returned to feeling the pain of the distance between them. This was not six years ago. This was different. They weren't who they used to be. He gulped, stifling his own self-resentment, before he answered.

"Of course, Kagome." He pulled his hand away from her's, returning it to his lap. "Can't wait."

~Author's Note~

Sorry everyone! I know that this is a touch later than I had promised. Things got crazy here.

Anyway, I really hope that you liked the new chapter.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last time, it gives me so much energy to write when I see a new review.

Review and let me know your thoughts!

~FeudalAi


	9. Chapter 9

NOTE: All sign language dialogue will have [ brackets ] around it.

* * *

"We can provide an interpreter, but besides that there isn't much that we can do for Haruna. We can't let her slow down the progress of the rest of the class. Now, now…" The exasperated high-pitched voice on the other end of the line squeaked. "Don't take that wrong. Haruna is a very smart girl and we want her back at school. However, she must have a basic knowledge of sign language first or, in the very least, have the proper equipment for her hearing aid to work in the classroom setting."

There was a slight pause as Kagome sucked in a frustrated breath. "There's nothing I can say to change your mind? Haruna wants to go back to school. It's already been so long. I don't want her getting even further behind." She could hear the lady on the other end of the phone tapping her nails exasperatingly against a table. It was irritating. She just wanted to jump through the phone and wring the administrator's neck.

"I'm sorry. But, until you at least get her the proper equipment we cannot allow her back in the classroom. We will send home her homework, but if she gets too far behind we will have to hold her back."

"Hold her back!" Kagome nearly shouted, her frustration leaking out like poisonous venom.

"Yes, it's for her own benefit. It wouldn't do Haruna any good if she was allowed to move forward when she wasn't ready."

"Fine, goodbye." Kagome huffed and hung up the phone, never waiting for a response.

She was simply furious.

She paced back and forth in her bedroom. Haruna and Inuyasha were in the living room and she couldn't let her little girl see her this angry. How was she supposed to tell her that she couldn't go back to school yet? Haruna loved school. Nearly every night she asked Kagome when she would get to go back. Kagome would shy away from the question, quickly changing the subject, with the help of Inuyasha who always seemed to be able to distract the distraught girl.

Haruna was, of course, having difficulties settling into her new reality.

There were some days where she would refuse to wear the hearing aid at all. Sometimes, at night, she would still have nightmares. She would wake up screaming and crying, her sweat making her hair stick to her forehead. The only one who could calm her down was Inuyasha. He would take her into his arms and hum her a deep lullaby that Kagome had never heard before. It was mystical and made her feel like she was being transported back in time. She would lean against Haruna's doorframe and simply listen to him hum as he stroked her hair until she was back asleep.

It made her heart swell.

But, she steadfastly ignored it. She told herself again and again it was only a longing for what used to be. That the feeling in her chest didn't mean that she was completely in love with him again. No, she was in love with the old him, the Inuyasha that she had known six years ago. This man before her… Well, he was still pretty much a stranger. They had hardly talked about their lives. The conversations almost always focused solely around Haruna. So, she barely knew the man that he had become.

One thing was for sure though, he was an amazing Dad.

As much as she wanted to find fault with him, she simply couldn't. He was there every agonizing step of the way. Somehow, he even connected with Haruna in a way that even she couldn't. It somewhat irked her, but she forced those feelings aside.

Kagome took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, before she left her bedroom to join Inuyasha and Kagome in the living room. Haruna was smiling and giggling as Inuyasha tried, in vain, to do the alphabet in sign language. When he screwed up the 'R' again Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from laughing and he looked over at her accusingly with a wicked grin on his face.

"Like you could do better."

She couldn't stop her full-on giggle now as she knelt down by the two. Haruna was in stitches, clutching her sides as she was wracked with giggling breaths. It only made Kagome's smile more pronounced. It was so good to see Haruna so happy.

"Of course I can." She said as she proudly displayed the correct way to do 'R'.

"Keh" He crossed his arms and looked away, but his grin was still playful.

"Here…" She reached out and grabbed his hand, effectively forcing him to uncross his arms, before she moved his fingers into the correct position. She ignored the way his skin felt against her own, she ignored the slight hitch in his breath that she could have sworn she heard, she ignored the own way her heart had started racing as she moved his fingers into the correct position… Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled them away from his own. "Like that, see?"

"Oh…" He muttered, still half-dazed. He shook himself, his hair flowing down around him, before he regained his composure. "I knew that. I just wanted to see if you knew it."

"Sure, sure…" Kagome smirked.

"Daddy, daddy! Can you sign my name?" Haruna's voice was too loud and Kagome saw his ears flinch ever-so-slightly at the offending noise. Still, he didn't complain, he didn't mention it, he just moved forward like nothing unusual had even happened.

That was exactly it, nothing unusual had happened. This was their new normal.

Inuyasha's face scrunched up in concentration as he began to sign her name. There was a pronounced pause after each letter as he tried to remember each shape. [ A]. Haruna smiled and clapped her hands. "How 'bout you?" Inuyasha nudged her playfully, earning him another giggle from Haruna.

She nodded her head ecstatically and then signed her name much more fluidly, even using the proper grammatical sentence format. [My name is Haruna.]

Kagome clapped and both of the silver-haired partial-demons in the room looked over at her startled, almost as if they had been lost within their own little world. [Good job.] Kagome signed.

They had gone to sign language classes three times that week. It was a routine that Kagome planned to keep up. Haruna was learning the fastest, soaking up the new language like a sponge. Kagome was moving along ok. She had already mastered the alphabet back in college, so now she was just starting to learn basic words and sentences. Inuyasha, on the other hand, with his long claws, was having a hard time getting past the alphabet. Still, he looked more and more determined after each lesson. Kagome was sure that he would get it… Eventually.

Kagome was shaken from her thoughts by a slight tug on her sleeve. She looked over to see a beaming Haruna, a question written on her face. [School?]

Kagome froze. Her eyes widened and Haruna's smile instantly dropped. With a deep breath Kagome began to give Haruna the news. "You need to know basic sign language first. Plus, your Daddy and I have to order a special microphone for the teacher so that you can hear her. Until all that happens, they will send your homework home. We will get you a tutor though, ok?" Kagome spoke loud and slow, ensuring that Haruna would be able to pick up each carefully chosen word. The sadness in her eyes never left, but she did smile slightly.

[Ok.]

Haruna had taken to using sign language more and more often at home. She constantly used the words that she did know in sign language instead of their verbal counterpart. She was more comfortable, Kagome figured, signing instead of using her own voice.

A few silent moments ticked by and Haruna's composure only continued to drop. Kagome flashed a worried look in Inuyasha's direction but he was completely absorbed with trying to do the alphabet again.

[Sleep?] Haruna signed. Kagome looked over at her once again and just now noticed the tiredness that had overcome her little girl. Inuyasha paused and looked up, his ears swiveling around as if he hadn't realized that he had tuned out for a moment.

[Yes.] Kagome bent down and picked her up. With a heave, she lifted Haruna off of the floor. It wouldn't be much longer before she couldn't do this anymore. Her little girl was growing up, she was getting too big to carry. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of happiness and nostalgia at the thought.

She got Haruna ready for bed quickly. Tucking her under the covers with a soft peck to the forehead before turning off the light and letting her go to sleep. Inuyasha watched from the doorway, only coming in to tell Haruna goodnight as well, before he returned to the living room. Kagome stood in the doorway for a moment. Haruna had drifted off to sleep near instantaneously. The sound of her quiet breaths and the sight of her chest rising and falling beneath the blanket soothed the worry that continually laced Kagome's heart. With a slow exhale, Kagome gently shut the door and returned to the living room.

"They won't let her go back to school?" Inuyasha dove right into the matters at hand.

Kagome nodded. "Not until she knows enough sign language for a translator and has a microphone for the teacher to clip to her shirt."

"A microphone?"

"Yea, it's this special device that the teacher wears that will let Haruna be able to hear her when she talks. But, she won't be able to really hear any of the other kids. They will be like background noise. It could take her a while to get used to using it. Even still, she will miss whatever the rest of the class is talking about."

"Oh…" He huffed, flopping down onto the couch and leaning back against the backrest in his usual position. "So, we get her the microphone."

Kagome walked over and sat on the other end of the couch. "Yea, we will get her the microphone. I think we should get her a tutor for sign language too. Classes three times a week plus a tutor another two times a week should really speed up her learning. Maybe we can find someone who could tutor her in sign language and in her school subjects. The school is gonna start sending home lots of her homework and if we don't want her to get held back we are going to need to get some help."

"Held back?" She could sense the way his muscles tightened, even though she was a few feet away.

"Mhm…" It came out deep and sad. "We can't let that happen Inuyasha, it would crush her. We… We can't let her down…" She stuttered, the words coming out in bursts of emotion.

"No, we can't let her down again."

Kagome ignored the word 'again' and moved right onto the next topic. "I didn't want to have to discuss this… I really didn't… But, Inuyasha…" She turned her big eyes onto him, catching his golden orbs. "I have to go back to work. I'm nearly out of money. You've been helping, and that's great, but you are going to run out of money too if you don't start working again."

The air in the room grew tense and his eyes steeled over. "I know your right, but I don't like the idea of not being here…"

"We need the money for her though. We can't pretend that it's not a factor. If we don't have money we can't get her the things she needs. Her hospital bills are starting to arrive and it's going to be a big hit on my savings, it might even eat it all up. Plus, we need to get the microphone and the tutor… We need money Inuyasha." She hated talking about money. She hated having to rely on him for money. But, the simple fact was that she barely had any money left in her bank account. Her entire savings would be drained from the hospital bills and even that wouldn't be enough to cover the costs they had incurred. It was only then, in that very moment, that she realized that she had absolutely no idea what Inuyasha did for a living. She wanted to punch herself for not asking him sooner. "Um, Inuyasha… What do you do, anyways?"

He looked confused for a moment before recognition dawned on his face. "We never talked about our jobs…"

Kagome shook her head. "No… We got so caught up with Haruna it just… We missed having the most basic of conversations."

"We'll have to catch up then, won't we?" He smirked. She, on the other hand, didn't feel quiet so light-hearted about the matter. She was still beating herself up for taking this long to ask him. His smile dipped slightly, but it didn't disappear. "I'm a Kendo Sensei at Sango's dojo. It's just a part-time gig. I usually do three or four classes a week. Once a month or so, I also teach anyone with a demon heritage how to use a weapon. Like my Tessaiga."

"Oh…" Kagome felt her mouth drop slightly before she snapped it closed. That was the perfect job for him. He had always loved practicing Kendo and learning how to use the Tessaiga. Sure, those were not necessary skills in today's modern world, but they were his passion.

"Like I said though, it's only part-time." His brows furrowed in worry. "I'm not sure it's enough…"

Kagome smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. That's perfect for you. Maybe Haruna can learn Kendo when she is a bit older?"

His smile lit her world on fire.

"I'd like that."

"We will figure out all the rest. Do something you love, don't change just because of the bills… What's important is that we get back to work."

"What do you do, exactly, Kagome?" His curiosity was adorable.

Kagome winced slightly. "I didn't finish college."

Her words hung in the air, piercing the level of acceptance that had grown between them.

"Really?" His voice was so soft that she barely heard it.

She nodded. "I couldn't handle being pregnant and doing classes at the same time. I told myself I would go back after Haruna was born… But, having a newborn around the house was hard. I moved back to the shrine for two years before I set out on my own again. Mom was against it. She wanted me to stay there…" She trailed off for a moment, lost within a memory. "I worked at a bakery for a few months until I found a spiritualist who agreed to take me on as an apprentice to harness my Miko powers. I earned a certificate in herbalism, archery, and spiritual training while I was there. Ever since then, wherever Haruna and I am, I find a somewhere local that offers classes to anyone with spiritual powers. I train students… I think that maybe one day, when I have enough experience, I'll go back to my family's shrine and open my own business training young Mikos there. I only found a job here a few days before Haruna got sick… I hadn't even had my first day yet…" She trailed off, her voice fading into the room as a sever shade of pink lit her cheeks after she realized exactly how long she had been droning on for.

"Wow…" His voice was breathy.

"Sorry." She muttered, hiding her face with her hair.

"No, don't say sorry. That's… That's really amazing of you Kagome."

"Huh?" Her head whipped around to face him, her hair flying out around her in a black swirl.

"You did all that with Haruna… You had the courage to leave home and find something that you really liked even though you were a single parent. You… You are amazing Kagome." There eyes met and Kagome could feel her skin tingling. His words made her heart sputter and her mouth was flapping open and closed. She was completely at a loss for words. Her mind seemed to scramble away, receding into the depths of her skull, giving her little to no help as her heart took control.

"Inuyasha…" The surprise in her voice was evident and his cheeks lit up in response.

"I just mean…" He looked away, his embarrassment obvious as his hand fidgeted through his silver hair. "I…" His eyes met hers and he exhaled deeply, his entire posture relaxing against the couch, as he seemed to reach a decision within himself. "I always knew you were amazing, you just didn't believe me."

Kagome couldn't believe what was happening. Her heart felt like it was about to burst right out of her chest and from the way his cheeks continued to darken she knew that he could hear her body's response to his words. But, it was her mind that was scrambling to catch up to the action. Her heart was left hammering, but her mind was still locked in a cage of confusion and apprehension.

She didn't want to let him in. No. She wasn't ready for that.

"Thanks, Inuyasha." She turned her head away from him to once again let her hair fall between them, blocking both of their views.

It was quiet for a moment before he responded. "Keh."

She stood up, mentally slamming down walls between them. She took a few steps towards her bedroom, her back turned to him, before she spoke again.

"Everything ok for tomorrow night?"

He didn't reply right away. Tension slunk into the air, making her hands wring together uncomfortably. "Yea…" His voice was gruff. She waited a moment more, her back still to him. She wasn't sure if he was going to say something else. It felt like she was on the edge of a cliff and that all she needed was for him to call her back from it. But, he remained silent. With a resigned sigh she walked to her room and closed the door. She flopped down onto the bed and picked up her phone. She snuggled into the blankets, wrapping them up and around herself so that she was tight in a warm cocoon. She stared at her phone screen, analyzing the text messages in front of her as a new nauseous wave rushed up inside herself.

Her date with Daichi was tomorrow.

It was the first time she was going to go out after Haruna's hospitalization. She had talked to Sango exhaustively about it. Debating if it was ok or not to go out for the night… Sango had reassured her time and time again that she had to take care of herself too, not just Haruna. Haruna would be happy with Inuyasha. It had been a while since she was in the hospital and it was time for Kagome to stop making Daichi wait. He had been so understanding and patient so far… It was time to try a real date with him again.

Still, a big part of her couldn't help but worry that something would happen again. She was scared that as soon as she left the house, as soon as she wasn't by Haruna's side, something disastrous would happen. She knew it was irrational, but she couldn't stop the feeling.

The next day seemed to whiz by in a blur. They had a sign language class as a family, afterward Kagome talked to the instructor about finding Haruna a private tutor, then they went home and began to dive into the large pile of homework that was sent from the school. Haruna's eyes lit up at the massive pile of work while Kagome couldn't help but groan at the task ahead. Inuyasha took everything in stride. He was still fumbling through his alphabet, his claws continually, and hilariously, getting in the way. Kagome had just finished making them some BBQ chicken with baked potatoes when it was time to leave. Thankfully, she had gotten dressed before her cooking adventure had begun. She was in a tight pair of dark wash jeans with a three-quarter sleeve, loose, light blue shirt. Her hair was tied back into a messy bun with a black ribbon tied into a bow around it. She put some silver studs in her ears and finished off the look with a light smattering of makeup. Her eyes had just a simple beige sheen while her lips were a very soft pink. She felt good about herself.

"You'll let me know if anything happens?" Now, this was about the tenth time that she had asked that question to Inuyasha within the last hour and he was, understandably, getting a little irritated by it.

"For the hundredth time, yes already!" He snapped slightly, rolling his eyes at her.

"Don't have to be rude about it…" She mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say?" She could almost feel the irritation rolling off of him.

She turned around and plastered a pseudo smile onto her face. "Nothing!" She said with a wink.

He growled, low and playful, and it made her blush. Images flashed through her mind of their past… When they would be nearing the edge of a fight and she would say something, much like she just had, before he would growl and chase her down, tickling her into submission. It had always ended in a pit of laughter for the both of them, whatever their mini disagreement had been about long forgotten.

Her fake smile fell and his playful growl ceased, as if they both had just remembered that this was not six years ago. Kagome was about to go out on a date, and not with him.

"Ok then, I'm off. Haruna!" Haruna looked up from her pile of work and smiled at her Mom. "I'll be back in a few hours. Keep your Daddy in line, will ya?"

"Hey!" Inuyasha whined.

"Of course, Mommy." Haruna giggled.

With one last lingering look Kagome left the apartment. Her nervousness settled into her stomach and she didn't think it would go away anytime soon. Her last date with Daichi had been interrupted so early on that she barely had a feeling for the guy. Still, from the multitude of texts they had exchanged since then a small part of her couldn't help but like him. He was nice. He was pretty much perfect.

But, he wasn't Inuyasha.

She shook that thought from her head, forcing herself to ignore the emotions she had swirling around her past and to only focus on the present. She was going on a date, a date with Daichi, not with Inuyasha. There was no use thinking about her confusing feelings for the half-demon when she had someone seemingly perfect waiting for her right now.

She had to take two short subway rides before she reached her destination. This time they were going to do something more low key. They were meeting up for dinner at a cafe near his bookstore and, if she wanted, he would show her his store afterward. When she finally reached the cafe she thought it was adorable. It was just a little hole in the wall place, but upon closer inspection it had twinkling lights hanging in the windows and small potted plants lined the wall outside. She stepped through the door and was greeted with a warm flow of air kissing her skin. The inside of the place was a bit rustic. Dark walls had black and white pictures dotting their surface, several tables for two were set up at strategic positions, and several more leafy potted plants were scattered about the room to give it a homey feel. As soon as she walked in the man by the window stood up from his table and strode over to her.

Daichi.

He was a few inches taller than herself. His black hair was adorably messed in that way that you knew he took time to make it look like that. He had bright green eyes that seemed to pierce her soul. It was almost as if he was all knowing, seeing right through her to the very heart of the matter. He had a warm smile that lit up the space around him and his body was extremely toned, which was shown off by the slightly tight black dress shirt that he wore.

"Kagome, I'm so glad to see you again. How's Haruna?"

Kagome's heart beat erratically at the silky smooth timber of his voice. "She is doing much better. It doesn't seem like her ears are healing at all, but at least she has really taken to sign language."

He nodded, his eyes looking lost in thought as he led her over to the table that he had previously been seated at. "That's really good, I know it can be really hard to adjust to a new reality like that."

Kagome sat down in her chair across from him and rose one eyebrow questioningly.

He laughed slightly, the sound deep and joyous. "I just mean that I saw my cousin go through it with her eyes. She had a bad accident when she was fifteen and lost nearly all of her eyesight. Now, all she can see is a mass of colors. She can't make out distinct shapes or writing. It was really hard on her. We're pretty close, so I saw what she went through. I even learned brail with her so that she wouldn't feel so alone."

"Oh, wow… That was so nice of you. I'm sorry for you cousin though."

Daichi brushed off the compliment, his smile warm and bright. "Don't worry about it, Etsuko is doing great now. You'd like her. You remind me a bit of her, actually."

Kagome blushed slightly, the pink rush blending into the blush she had painted onto her cheeks. To distract herself she glanced around the cafe again, only just now noticing the old koto music lightly playing in the background. "This place is really nice, I haven't heard the koto in a long time."

"Do you play?"

Kagome shook her head. "I always wanted to learn, I just never had the time. I was in the archery club in high school."

"Oh?" His eyebrows rose inquisitively. "I wouldn't have pictured you for an archery girl."

Kagome smirked. "Yep, I am. I use a traditional longbow. It was very useful in my Miko training." They had lightly skirted the topic of her being a Miko during their last date. Still, his face lit up with excitement at the mention of it.

"That still fascinates me. I'd love to learn more about it. Maybe you can do a demonstration for me one day?"

Kagome felt at a loss for words. Instead of speaking, she simply nodded her head. When she had gone out on those few dates, before Inuyasha had come back into her life, the men were never very interested in her spiritual powers. In fact, some looked downright scared of her, or horrified even, after they found out. Daichi… Well, he was a very welcomed contrast.

"Should we order?" He said, handing her a menu.

The rest of their evening went by so fluidly that Kagome hadn't even realized how late it was getting until they were the only two left in the cafe. They had talked about anything and everything. Most of their discussion had revolved around Haruna. Daichi had a whole list of books that he had compiled for Haruna to read. They ranged from picture books to easy readers. Plus, one graphic novel called "El Deafo" by Cece Bell that he claimed was utterly amazing. When the owner of the cafe turned off the soft music they took that as their cue to leave. Stepping back out into the night Kagome felt the prick of the wind on her skin. Winter was starting to arrive and it chilled the night air.

"So, um…" Daichi nervously ran his hand through his hair as his eyes flicked between her and the street in front of them. "Do you wanna see my bookstore quick? I know you have to get home soon to Haruna…"

He trailed off and the way he was acting so nervous made Kagome smile. He was such a good guy. So honest and caring… She could already tell that he was her imagined definition of perfect. Still, something felt off about being this close to him. Something in her heart was screaming for her to leave, to ignore him. But, she didn't listen. She shoved that part of herself aside.

She had to move on. Or, at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

She nodded and he smiled, reaching down to lightly take her hand. It was the first time he had done something like that and Kagome's mind temporarily went blank at the nice sensation that washed through her.

Still, it wasn't like the electrocuting fire that Inuyasha's touch caused.

They walked for about two blocks before they reached the outside of a small bookstore. There were two big windows and Kagome could see the massive piles of books that lay in wait through the door. He let go of her hand to slide a key into the lock before gently pushing the old wooden door open. A small jingle greeted her ears as the door swung wide for them to enter. As soon as she was inside the smell of old books greeted her nose and she couldn't help but smile.

"In the front I keep the new books. Anything popular, especially manga and study guides for the university entrance exams. In the back I keep the used books." He turned and winked at her mischievously. "That's the secret treasure trove." He grabbed her hand again and gently pulled her towards the back of the shop. She barely had time to take in the rows upon rows of carefully selected books that graced the front end of the shop. When they reached the back everything looked a bit more chaotic… Books were stacked in piles as well as haphazardly placed upon shelves. In the far right corner was a fireplace with a large leather couch beside it. "This is the reading area. When it starts to get cold I get a nice fire going. Lots of people like to sit back here and read. In summer time, I move the couch out of the way and we have a story hour for kids."

"Wow, this place is really nice Daichi."

He smiled proudly. "I'm really glad you like it." He glanced around the room, searching for something, until he reached out to a nearby shelf and grabbed a carefully wrapped book. "Here, this is "El Deafo" for Haruna."

Kagome pushed back the tears that wanted to prick her eyes. They had only just started dating, yet he cared about her family already.

Could he be even more perfect?

"Thank you…" She mumbled as she reached out and took the present.

"I hope we can do this again sometime." He said as he walked her to the door.

"Me too…" It was only after she said those words that she realized they were only a half-truth.

"Goodbye, Kagome." He pushed open the door for her, letting her out into the slowly darkening night. She smiled warmly up at him, relieved that he hadn't tried to kiss her. She wasn't ready for that yet.

"Goodbye, Daichi."

With those simple words they waved and she left. She took the two subway rides home and soon she was pushing open the door to her apartment. Relief washed over her as she realized that nothing bad had happened while she was gone. The apartment was quiet, everyone having already gone to sleep. Quietly, she strode into the living room only to be greeted by a half-naked half-demon sleeping soundly on her couch. His ears twitched slightly when she entered and she made sure to move even quieter on her way to the bedroom. She was nearly past him, her eyes still glued to his sleeping form, when he mumbled something in his sleep.

"…Gome…"

Her breath hitched in her throat. Was that supposed to be her name? Was he dreaming about her? Her heart ran away from her… It longed to jump into his arms and never leave again. Her chest swelled up with a mix of love and pain.

She couldn't continue like this. She simply couldn't. She was trying to move on. She had to move on. She couldn't just let Inuyasha back into her heart.

Plus, Daichi was perfect. He was exactly the kind of guy she wanted. Wasn't he?

Still, watching Inuyasha made her pulse quicken in an inexplicable way. With a shaky breath she reached a decision.

Inuyasha had to leave. He had to go home. It had been long enough. He needed to go back to his own apartment. They both had to start working again. Of course, he would be able to see Haruna. They would work something out with that… But, she couldn't have him here making her heart feel like this anymore.

It was time for him to go.

~Author's Note~

Hey, everyone! So, I need to let you know that I have family coming to visit for a week and a half. I currently live abroad so it is a very long journey for them. So, I'm not sure if I will be able to update while they are here. Still, I will try my best to at least get one new chapter out. I'm very sorry for the probable delay. However, as soon as they are gone I will go back to my normal updating schedule.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!

I hope you like the chapter and I can't wait to read your responses.

~FeudalAi


	10. Chapter 10

Inuyasha didn't like this, not one bit. In fact, he hated it. When Kagome had told him the day before that he needed to move back home his heart felt like it had dropped out of his chest…

He knew this wasn't his home.

But, his heart was here.

How could he leave Haruna? How could he leave Kagome? To say his heart felt broken was an understatement. When she had nervously admitted that it was time for him to head home. They weren't married, they weren't even dating… So, they shouldn't be living together. As she continued to blabber about them making everything work out with Haruna and that him moving out was really the best thing for them as a family he could barely hear her words. He was zoned out, in a hazy world that didn't make any sense. He felt like he was being ripped away from everyone he loved. The pain that gripped his chest was so intense that he had to stifle back his tears.

He was not going to cry in front of her. He was not going to show his vulnerability.

Still, he couldn't help the way his ears fell, defeated, or the way his posture slunk as her voice became the only real thing to him. Everything else lost all sensation, all touch… The world was completely devoid except for the sound of her once sweet voice.

In that moment, it was no longer sweet, but a weapon cutting into his soul.

A small logical part of him told him that he should have moved back to his own place ages ago. But, the emotional, irrational, part of himself was much louder and vibrant. Plus, since when did he ever listen to logic? He tried to protest, his worries sputtering out in a weak voice that quickly turned to anger at her instance that he leave. Eventually, he had to storm out of the apartment and go for a run. He had nearly exploded on her. She had just stood there still, seemingly emotionless, as she condemned him to his fate. His anger had bubbled up in a fit of rage, he was near punching a wall, his voice rising, before he saw Kagome's eyes worryingly flick over towards Haruna's room. With a growl that embraced all of his pain and resentment he dashed from the house, sprinting out into the cool night hoping that the chilly air would help to calm his erratically beating mangled heart.

Now, he stood with his small bag packed. He had only ever brought over a few things, some clothing and basic bathroom essentials. It hadn't taken him long to pack up. What was going to take a while was dealing with the devastated little girl before him. Haruna stood beside him, her hands clinging onto him for dear life. Her big golden eyes were filled with tears. He reached down his hand to lightly pat the top of her head, making her turn her face up to look at him. He knelt down and gently poked her in the forehead, earning him a small smile. It was only there for a moment before another wave of tears crashed over her tiny face, her lips quivered into submission, and as she began to bawl again.

Inuyasha flashed an accusatory glare up at Kagome. She was leaning against the wall, biting her nails to the quick. Her eyebrows were furrowed together and, from the smell of it, she was fighting off her own tears as well. With a heavy sigh he turned away from her.

Kagome didn't matter.

She was the one making him do this.

Haruna was the one who mattered.

He turned his full attention onto Haruna. He grabbed her slightly, pulling her away from him so that he could look her firmly in the eyes. He was crouched down to her height, yet he was still several inches taller than her. He bent his head, letting his hair fall down around them, blocking this private moment from Kagome's prying eyes.

He smiled sadly, trying to reassure her. [I love you.] He signed.

Haruna's eyes lit up. [I love you, Daddy.] Her lips quivered again, a new wave of tears threatening to overcome her, before he reached out a clawed finger to carefully run it over her cheeks, wiping away her tears.

Instinctively, he began to growl. It was a low and deep sound that reverberated from within his chest. A comforting rumble meant to soothe her. It took him a few seconds to realize that, of course, Haruna wouldn't be able to hear it. He was just about to stop, his smile slowly slipping, before he felt her little hand press against his chest.

A slow smile lit up her face and her eyes seemed to glow in the dark cave his hair had created. She took in a deep, shaky, breath before taking a few steps forward to wrap her arms, as far as they would go, around his torso.

He could feel tears pricking his eyes too.

He enclosed her in his arms, her small head pressed against his chest, the rumble emanating from him slowly soothing her. Her stifled cries finally began to cease. The smell of tears was a thick stench in the room, making his nose wrinkle up. He had always hated tears. But, he especially hated it from the people he loved.

Haruna's tears hit him right in his soul.

He lifted his head, finally daring to look at Kagome again. She was wiping away her own tears, her eyes holding regret. But, determination was set on her face and he knew how she could get when she made up her mind about something .

She was like him. Stubborn as hell.

Gently he pulled Haruna away from him. "I'll be back every night, ok?"

She nodded weakly, tears glistening in her eyes.

He gulped, forcing down the wave of sorrow that rushed him. The pain pricked his eyes and the tears were near bubbling over. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he stood up and tossed his bag over his shoulder. He took a big breath before he dared open his eyes and gaze at the two women who meant everything to him.

Haruna.

Kagome.

He turned and opened the door and with his back still to them he raised his hand and waved. Just like that, he was gone, back out into the cold night feeling completely alone.

He walked home in a heartbroken daze. He didn't want to run. He didn't want to get a taxi. He didn't want to deal with public transport… So, he just walked. His mind swirled through everything that had happened since he first re-encountered Kagome at Sango and Miroku's place. That fateful day… It had changed his life forever.

He wouldn't change it for the world.

Even though it still had been a relatively short time since he had entered Haruna's life, he was completely devoted to her. She was his little girl. His pup. His pride and joy. His princess. He kept trying to remind himself that they were just going back to how it was before Haruna got sick. When he stayed at his own place and just met up with them later at night after work.

Still, it felt wrong.

It felt disastrously wrong to be away from them.

His sorrow swirled around the devastating pain that currently inhabited his heart. Just when he thought he was, maybe, getting closer to Kagome… She pulled something like this. As mad as he was at her, and he was furious, he somehow missed her already too.

Finally, he entered his apartment building. He quickly reached his door and opened it before he slammed it shut behind him. Now that he was home the floodgates opened. The sight of the hole he had punched in his wall all those weeks ago greeted him and angry tears began to pour down his cheeks.

The pain in his heart rippled upward as a low, painful, yell emitted from him. He sounded like a wounded dog. He shook his head, his hair swirling around in an angry blur. He tossed his bag onto the couch before he marched to his room, flopping down onto the bed to stare blankly up at the white ceiling. The tears fell slow and silent now. The pain in his chest an unstoppable force that threatened to never end. His eyes blurred as he focused on the ceiling, letting his mind go blank as well.

He had nearly calmed himself down, his tears finally coming to a halt, when his phone beeped. His heart jumped up into his throat.

"Kagome?" He couldn't help but whisper hopefully. His eager hands grabbed his phone, opening up the message in the blink of an eye, only to be greeted by a message from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Miss me yet?

His jaw clenched painfully, one of his fangs stabbing into his bottom lip, as he stared at the text. In a fit of rage he threw his phone, hard, at the opposite, unoffending, wall. With a satisfying crack he heard the screen break as it slammed into the wall before it fell onto the hard floor. A small dent was in the wall from where it had hit.

He had blocked Kikyo's number as soon as they had broken up. He had tried to delete thoughts of her, delete memories of her, but they would come back time and time again. A once happy memory would instantly be tainted by her betrayal. He couldn't forgive her. He would never forgive her. He would never miss that conniving betrayer. Whatever amount of trust he had in her had snapped the instant he had found out about Haruna. Whatever amount of love he may have had for her had irreparably shattered when he found the box of letters from Kagome. Whatever they had, it was forever finished.

He flipped over and dug his teeth into his pillow, effectively ripping it to shreds. It was only after the devastation, white pillow fluff lacing his bed, that his mind came back to him.

"Shit…" He whispered as he surveyed the damage. The dent in the wall, the fluff spread everywhere, let alone the whole punched in the living room wall… He had to learn how to keep his anger in check. "Fuck." He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face, before he flopped back down onto the mess he had made and fell into a fitful sleep.

The next day he forced himself to get out of bed, to clean up his mess, shower, and get ready for the day. By noon he left the apartment, making his way to Sango's dojo. It took about a half hour to reach his destination, but he relished that time. It let him calm down and mentally prepare to fill his role as Sensei again. When he finally slid open the front door to the dojo he was greeted with a warm smile from Sango, little Katsuro held tight against her chest by a sling wrapped around her.

"Hello, Inuyasha!" She greeted. "Long time no see."

He huffed and tried not to roll his eyes at her overly cheerful demeanor.

On the other hand, what didn't Sango have to be happy about? Her life was pretty darn perfect. Married to the love of her life, three beautiful children, her own dojo…

Yep, she had it all.

"Hey…" He said half-heartedly. Sango's grin slightly faltered, but it never completely slipped.

"I'm glad your back. How's Haruna doing?"

"Adjusting." He snapped. The shocked look on her face made regret instantly settle within his stomach, so he lightened his tone. "She's doing… Better. It's still hard on her though."

Sango nodded, seemingly lost in deep thought. "I get that…" It was quiet all except for the mumbling baby noises that Katsuro was making. "Well, your usual group of students will be excited to see you again." She beamed.

He smirked as he tried to shove off the compliment. "Keh."

"Don't 'keh' me." She said, hands placed defiantly on her hips. "You're good for business." She bragged.

"Then how 'bout a pay raise? Maybe full-time?" He teased back, but the underlying tone was sincere. He needed to make more money now. He couldn't rely on the dwindling funds in the trust fund that his parents had left for him before they died. He had to have a steady inflow of cash.

Sango's smile dropped and her teasing posture became stiff and serious. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha." She looked down at Katsuro, focusing on his happy face instead of Inuyasha's. "The dojo can't really afford that. We are doing well and all… It's just… We don't have enough students in Kendo or your specialized training at the moment to warrant the funds for a full-time position." She looked up at him apologetically and he nodded back glumly.

He understood, he really did, but that didn't mean it still didn't piss him off a little. A sudden rush of people scurrying through the front door broke the serious atmosphere that surrounded them. Students were arriving for class. With a huff he strode off towards the changing rooms so that he could get ready as well.

He pushed himself, and his students, hard during practice. By the end he was covered in sweat and had to take a shower at the dojo. Usually, he just waited until he got home, but his own stink was even getting to him. The students were more than excited that he was finally back. While often times he still felt distant from humans, still felt like an outcast, at the dojo he was just one of the guys. He fit in there. They liked him and they always told him thank you for the lesson. They were a respectful bunch of rowdy kids. Before Haruna, it was what had given him purpose. These kids, teaching them, helping them, pushing them, had given him a reason to get out and be productive everyday. He pushed himself to improve his own skills so that he could then, in turn, help them to become better. Several even went off to win competitions in the dojo's name.

Overall, it was a good distraction from the ache eating away at his heart.

He hadn't been this far away, for this long, from Haruna since before she got sick and the sudden change was tearing him up inside. He shoved those feelings to the side as he finished cleaning himself up and slid back into his street clothes, promising himself that he would actually wash his gi as soon as he got home this time around. He had just left the dojo and the sun was beginning to set in the distance, it was a beautiful blend of reds and oranges that floated in the sky like fire. The days were beginning to get shorter and shorter. The chill in the air nipped his hot skin, cooling him down from his intense workout. He was about to head off when he felt his broken phone vibrate.

He reached for it, worry lacing his heart. Did something happen to Haruna? But, when he finally got to look at the caller ID on the nearly completely shattered screen, all he felt was confusion.

"Rin?" He muttered before answering the call.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Her painful scream met his ears. He yanked the phone a foot away from his head and he could still hear her. As soon as the sound began to cease he put the phone back to his face.

"Rin? What's happening? Are you ok?"

He could hear her panting, as if a something big was straining her entire body. "I'm in labor…" She muttered. The joy in her voice nearly hidden by the recesses of her contraction. She took a few steadying breaths before she continued, her voice now much closer to usual. "I'm a couple weeks early, but the doctors say it should be ok. I'm at the hospital by our apartment…"

He could hear her agitation. It seeped uncontrolled into her voice. He could almost picture her biting away nervously at her bottom lip. Sesshomaru hated when she did that. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed that something was indefinably wrong. This should be a happy, albeit painful, moment for Rin. Yet, he could sense her worry and sadness leaking out even through the phone. "What's wrong, Rin?"

"Um…" She paused, as if trying to find the right words. When she spoke, her voice was weak and sad. "It's Sesshomaru." She sighed. Inuyasha's fist balled up at his side, he could feel his anger rising anew. "He came with me to the hospital… He looked so… So…" Unable to find the right word she sighed in frustration. "After I was checked into my hospital suite he just, well, he just…"

"What did he do?" Inuyasha couldn't help but snap.

"He disappeared."

His already broken phone was nearly crushed into smithereens as his fist tightened around it. The only thing that stopped him from completely shattering the device was the knowledge that it was the only way for Kagome to contact him about Haruna.

"I'm on my way." He hung up the phone and took off. Running over buildings, darting through the fading light, to reach his destination in record time. How dare Sesshomaru do this? Didn't he realize how incredibly lucky he was? The woman he loved actually wanted to be with him. The woman he loved was about to give birth to his first pup. He got to see the woman he loved swollen up with the creation they had made.

Inuyasha's jealousy and anger were running rampant and he didn't even bother to quell them. Sesshomaru deserved all his rage.

When he reached the hospital he flew through the doors before quickly getting a nurse to divulge where Rin's room was. He was family after all. Within a few minutes he was barging into her room and, from the looks of it, she had just had another strong contraction. She looked up at him and smiled. Her hair was swept up in a high bun, but a few loose strands clung to the sweat on her face.

"Inuyasha…" She muttered as she gritted through the last few moments of the contraction. He took a few steps closer to her and his eyes went wide. He couldn't name the smell that was starting to pervade the room. It was a mix of Rin's sweat, her excitement, her nervousness, and the unmistakable scent that preceded birth. His hypersensitive nose could pick up everything. Humans wouldn't be able to smell these things. The only way he could even begin to describe the intense mixture of smells was, 'birth'. However, even that word was hardly adequate enough to describe what he could sense. He took a shaky breath and tried not to imagine Kagome in that same position.

Oh, how he wished he had been there when Haruna was born.

"I'm so glad you're here." Her weak voice muttered as her hand reached out to grasp onto his, squeezing tightly. It wasn't enough to hurt him. He squeezed back reassuringly.

"Still no Sesshomaru?"

She shook her head. "No… I haven't seen him for a while. I doubt that he went very far, but…"

Inuyasha dropped her hand and turned to take a few steps toward the doorway. "I'll find him." His hands curled into tight fists, ready to destroy the world.

"Don't be too hard on him, ok?" She pleaded.

He took a deep breath and nodded. He was glad that he wasn't facing her in that moment because he could smell the tears pricking her eyes. He was nearly out the door when she spoke again.

"I called Kagome by the way. She is on her way here. She said she was going to drop Haruna off at Sango's first."

He froze, her words halting him. It took him a moment to process the information, since his brain was clouded with his anger towards his brother. "Fine." He exhaled loudly before he left her room in a huff.

As soon as he was out of her room he began to scent out his brother. The hospital's smell threatened to overcome all others. The stench of disinfectant made his nose scrunch up. But, he was used to the obnoxious scents because of Haruna's hospitalization. It didn't take long before he found Sesshomaru's reek and he followed the scent trail up the stairs and to the roof. He paused for a moment before he shoved the thick metal door open. The lock had already been snapped from when Sesshomaru had forced his way through the offending blockade.

As soon as he stepped out onto the roof the cold wind whipped through his hair, making his silver strands fly back into an ever-twisting blur. Sesshomaru was standing upwind, staring out over the city below, seemingly in deep contemplation. Inuyasha strode over, his emotions swarming him and threatening to overcome his slim self-control.

"Sesshomaru!" He roared.

His brother just turned his head to look at him with disinterested eyes. The coldness in them was even chillier than the wind nipping at him. "Inuyasha." He said. His voice was strong and firm, no hint of any signs of distress. Inuyasha's fists tightened.

"What are you doing, bastard?"

Sesshomaru rose one cool eyebrow. "You're the bastard, not me, brother."

Inuyasha felt that like a punch to the gut, it hurt even worse than the few times he had encountered Sesshomaru's venomous claws. "That's not what I meant." He defended.

Sesshomaru nearly smirked, the slightest twinges of it touching his lips. "So? It's true."

Inuyasha could feel him picking a fight. Sesshomaru was trying to rile him up. He could feel the hairs on his arms stand on end as every fiber of his being went on alert. He wanted to cave to his emotions. He wanted to fold into himself and give in to the anger and hurt that flooded him. Rin's sweaty face flashed through his mind and he knew that he had to keep himself under control. He couldn't give Sesshomaru what he wanted. This was not the time to brawl.

When he didn't fall victim to Sesshomaru's plane, Sesshomaru turned to once again look out at the city below them. "What do you want?"

He took a deep breath, steadying his resolve. "You do realize that Rin is downstairs in labor, right now, about to have your pup?"

Sesshomaru winced. It was so subtle… Just in the way his eyebrows furrowed ever-so-slightly and the quick movement his lips made before stilling once again. "I am aware."

"Then why aren't you with your wife?" He tried to keep his voice calm, but it came out in a frustrated shout. Sesshomaru turned to look at him with cold eyes. The only problem was, Inuyasha could read him better than he could years ago. He could see the pain that was hidden behind their cold depths. "Well?" Inuyasha snapped when he remained silent. The only sound that met his ears was the whistling of the wind as it whirred around them. He tightened his jaw, preparing himself for the wrath his following statement would probably cause. "I know why, you're just a coward."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, their appearance deadly. "I'm no coward."

"Yes, you are. Why else wouldn't you be with your wife? She is having your pup Sesshomaru!" He threw out his arms in frustration. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are?" He muttered under it his breath. The wind almost swallowed up his words, but he knew with Sesshomaru's hearing they wouldn't be missed. "You're a coward, plain and simple."

"I am no coward." Sesshomaru snapped, his anger and fear rising over his cold exterior.

"Then, what's the matter!" Inuyasha demanded. He took a few steps forward, now only a mere two feet from Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru glared at him before something snapped within himself. Inuyasha could see it happening. As soon as he encroached upon Sesshomaru's bubble the calm exterior that Sesshomaru loved to emit broke. Sesshomaru's lip twisted up in a snarl.

"I condemned him!" He snapped. His fury rising to the surface, his eyes, for the first time that Inuyasha could reckon, were mixed with an onslaught of emotions and self-hate.

"You did what?" Inuyasha asked. His hands came up to cross against his chest while he stared his brother down.

"I condemned him." He stated, this time at a normal volume, as his cold demeanor began to regain its place. He turned away from Inuyasha, once again looking out over the city. "I created the thing I hate. I did exactly what Father did. I sullied my demon blood."

Inuyasha felt so much disgust and contempt for Sesshomaru in that moment that he almost turned and walked away. But, the image of Rin's face haunted his mind and he knew that he had to make his brother understand what he had already learned long ago.

"So, what you're saying is that Rin is dirty. She is less."

Sesshomaru's head snapped around to face him so fast that some of his silver hair whacked Inuyasha in the face. "I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did." Inuyasha huffed. "You just said, 'I sullied my demon blood'. That would mean that Rin is something dirty." He said Sesshomaru's words in an awkwardly high voice, illuminating how ridiculous they were.

"She is not dirty. My Rin is perfect." Sesshomaru growled.

"I didn't say she was dirty." Inuyasha stressed. "You are the one who called her that."

Sesshomaru's growl heightened.

"You may have hated me, and other half-demons, all your life. But, can you really hate the pup you created with Rin?"

Sesshomaru's face tightened as a trickle of fear momentarily flashed through his eyes.

"If Rin is dirty, then your pup must be worthless too!" Inuyasha declared. His face was defiant as he tried to force Sesshomaru to see the error in his self-imposed logic. There was nothing wrong with half-demons. Rin was amazing. Their pup was something that should be treasured, it shouldn't be hated simply for what it was.

"I said…" Sesshomaru's eyes glowed, his body pulsed slightly, as if on the edge of transforming. "Rin is not DIRTY!" He shouted, his rage seeping through as bright green venom dripped from his claws to bore small holes in the rooftop.

"Exactly." Inuyasha leaned back and just watched as his brother absorbed his words, as the whole confrontation came flooding back to him, as he realized the error in his ways. A look of recognition dawned on his face and he steadied himself. The venom stopped and the beginning edges of his transformation ceased. As soon as Sesshomaru seemed back to his usual cold self, Inuyasha continued. "You didn't condemn your pup."

"But, I did." Sesshomaru's posture relaxed, as if giving in to the conversation at hand. Inuyasha could actually feel the door opening, just a crack. This was a very rare moment… Sesshomaru was actually letting him inside, just a tiny bit. "Even if I don't hate him…"

"Which you won't…" Inuyasha intervened.

"Everyone else will." Sesshomaru finished.

Inuyasha nearly laughed. He tried to stifle it, but it still came out as a condensed chortle. Sesshomaru turned to glare at him and Inuyasha could feel that small opening slamming shut. "The world isn't like it used to be."

Sesshomaru paused, seemingly evaluating his brother a little bit closer.

"People have changed. Sure, there are rude assholes out there still. But, it isn't how it used to be. We can get good jobs. We can have relationships. We can live good lives. People even respect me, did you know that Sesshomaru? My students at the dojo nearly idolize me. Things are different. The only way you will condemn that kid is if you don't love him."

His words seemed to reverberate through Sesshomaru. Golden eyes locked with golden eyes and both brothers, for the first time, felt a level of acceptance between them. A mere moment later Sesshomaru moved, striding past him in large steps as he aimed for the door.

"And where are you going?" Inuyasha teased.

Sesshomaru didn't turn, he didn't flinch, he didn't so much as acknowledge that Inuyasha had spoken again. He was off the roof and down the stairs in an instant to be where he belonged, by Rin's side.

Inuyasha smirked and a wave of pride washed through him as he realized that, for the first time, he had actually gotten through to Sesshomaru. "Go watch your pup be born, bastard." He muttered. His words and wistful tone were carried away by the wind, forever lost in the fast approaching night.

~Author's Note~

So, what did you think? Did I capture Sesshomaru accurately enough? I always worry about getting him right…

Thank you so much for the reviews last time. Next chapter you will get to see the new baby and find out the name. Plus, of course, some Inuyasha and Kagome stuff that I'm not going to divulge.

This is the tenth chapter already. I had originally only planned on making this a three or four part story, yet somehow it turned into this. I hope you've been enjoying the ride so far.

I hope to hear your thoughts! I always look forward to reading your reviews.

~FeudalAi


	11. Chapter 11

Kagome stood, slightly flabbergasted, in the hallway outside of Rin's hospital room. Sesshomaru had just come barreling through the doors before he promptly kicked her out of the small space. She understood though. After all, he was the one Rin wanted there.

Just like she had wanted Inuyasha there.

She tried to toss the haunting memory from her mind, but flashes of her own childbirth experience kept rearing themselves. Having Haruna had been amazing. Still, every moment a contraction had hit all she wanted was Inuyasha's hand to squeeze. When she heard Haruna's first cry she wanted him to be the one to cut the cord. She wanted that first family picture of her holding a newborn Haruna with Inuyasha there, smiling proudly. But, she would never get that kind of family moment with him. It had passed over five years ago. Haruna would soon be approaching her sixth birthday. Time had flown by. Her baby girl wasn't a baby anymore.

She didn't even realize that she had been standing still in the middle of the hallway for the better of ten minutes until she heard Inuyasha clear his throat. She looked up at him, dazed and slightly awed by his sudden presence.

"Sesshomaru in there?" He jerked his head in the direction of Rin's door.

"Yea…" She mumbled. "He kicked me out, actually."

Inuyasha scoffed. Kagome's brows furrowed at the offending noise as she tried not to read too much into his tense posture and dismissive attitude. She turned and started walking towards the waiting room to claim a chair. Who knew how long it would be before Rin gave birth? It was time to get comfortable. She leaned back into the hard plastic surface and already felt the way that it hit her back all wrong. Wincing slightly she turned to look over at Inuyasha who had sat across from her. He was looking down, his hair shadowing his face and leaving all of his emotions unreadable to her. The minutes ticked by into hours, the silence deadly and full between them. It almost felt like if either of them dared to break the pressure that laid wait in the darkness that they would crumble underneath its sudden weight. A sudden flurry of commotion near Rin's room drew both of their resigned attention. For the briefest of moments she almost thought that she had heard Sesshomaru… Shouting?

Naw, that couldn't be right.

Inuyasha's lips curled up in a smirk before he turned away from the door, leaving Kagome to wonder if there was something she had missed.

Another stiff moment passed before Inuyasha dared to break the pervading tomb-like silence. "Is this what it was like?" He didn't turn to look at her, he kept his gaze distant, staring out the far window instead of focusing on her slightly shocked expression.

She took a deep breath and steadied herself. "Yea, mostly…" She trailed off, the memories washing over her in powerful waves. "I was so scared. My Mom was there, of course. But, I was still so scared something would go wrong and it just hurt so much…" She glanced shyly at him before quickly uttering the truth. "I wanted you there so much, I missed you so much that day. It made it all somehow worse, the pain, my fear… Cause I didn't have you." She saw the way he stiffened so she turned away from him as well, choosing to follow his gaze out the window instead. "But, in the end, it was the best day of my life. As soon as I heard her cry, as soon as they laid her on my chest… I didn't know it was possible to feel love like that. She looked so much like you, even then. With her little bit of silver hair and her big golden eyes. She had me hooked from the start." Her voice trailed off into the din, the gentle beeps and noises of the hospital surrounded them in a comforting embrace.

"I wish I was there." His voice was gruff and she didn't push him for more.

"I know." She whispered. Inuyasha… If he had known, he would have been there for the whole thing. Everything, literally everything, would be different right now. Their story would have been drastically changed.

For better or worse, she didn't know.

But, they were painfully stuck within their own reality. The reality where all that time had been stolen from him. The reality where she still couldn't help but love him. The reality where Haruna was practically deaf. This was their reality and she would have to accept it sooner or later.

Stars twinkled in the ever-blackening sky outside. They glistened off of the dew that blanketed the golden leaves of the trees. Everything, in that moment, seemed to exist within a bubble. For the briefest of moments she could delude herself. She could pretend that she was living in a different reality. The squeak of Rin's door opening again as a doctor headed towards them broke her from her reverie. Her flickering thoughts of a different life were immediately lost as she was pushed back into the present.

"They wanted me to tell you that it's ok to go in and see them now." The doctor smiled at them softly before leaving them be. Inuyasha looked over at her and she could see a sudden flicker of nervousness lying within the depths of his golden eyes. With just a twinge of a small smile she grabbed his hand.

The tingle that shot up her arm and danced across her flesh was miles different from the sensation Daichi had given her.

"Ready?"

He looked somewhat dazed as his eyes flickered between their clasped hands and her face. With a stiff nod he tightened his grip on her and her heart swelled. Her pulse instantly quickened, but she ignored the sudden rush. She began walking, gently pulling him forward with her, only dropping his hand once they entered the now blissful hospital room.

Rin was simply beaming.

Her face was red and sweaty. Her hair was a mess. It was tied up in a sloppy bun and little pieces had broken free of their constraints to fall down to frame her face. But, it was her smile that was eye-catching. The only other time Kagome had ever seen anything like it was the picture of her own smile when she had first held Haruna. Sesshomaru leaned close to Rin, one arm protectively wrapped around her shoulders while his eyes remained locked on the bundle held tenderly in her loving arms.

Kagome could see him smiling. Sesshomaru… Smiling… It wasn't huge, it didn't stretch his face or make his cheeks dimple. But, it was warm. As small as it was it managed to light up his entire face with love that she hadn't known he was able to possess.

But, she guessed, that's just what having a baby did. It could bring out a part of you that you didn't even know existed. She had never really understood exactly how much a parent could love their child until she had Haruna. It was remarkable and truly indescribable.

Inuyasha moved. He headed over to Rin in a seeming daze. His eyes were glued on the small infant that was squirming ever-so-slightly within her arms. Rin turned to look up at him, her big eyes watering with happiness.

"Meet your nephew." The warmth in her voice was intoxicating.

Inuyasha's face lit up and it was only then that Kagome realized that he had probably never been around a baby that young. He had missed it all with Haruna. He had never seen a baby just that small… His claw hand reached our carefully before a deep growl stopped him. He pulled it back, not offended by Sesshomaru's protectiveness.

"He's beautiful."

Kagome felt a tremble rock through her and she stepped forward to get a good look at the baby boy too. Her heart quickened at the sight that met her. The baby had giant golden eyes and you could already see the touches of silver hair. Two flaps were sticking out from the top of his head. Kagome squinted and the realization that popped into her head made her gasp and her smile grow.

The baby had dog ears.

As soon as she digested that she noticed the crescent moon that rested directly in the center of his forehead. Her eyes flickered up towards Sesshomaru's forehead to see its twin. The baby looked so much like Sesshomaru that it was nearly startling, she could barely see Rin in the little one besides his adorable nose and slightly more rounded face shape. But, it was hard to distinguish those things with a newborn.

"He's like me…" Inuyasha whispered. The awe in his voice was astounding.

"No." Sesshomaru stated, his eyes never leaving his newborn pup. "He is better." Inuyasha didn't argue with the proud new Daddy. He just smiled and the smile that spread across his face was like nothing Kagome had ever seen before.

"What's his name?" She asked softly. Rin looked over at her, her happy tears barely contained.

"Satoshi…" Rin smiled, her gaze locking once again on her newfound bundle of joy. "His name is Satoshi."

"It fits him perfectly." Kagome whispered, memories of Haruna's birth flooded her and threatened to take her over. Inuyasha glanced over at her, the slightest traces of worry lacing his face, and she just shook her head. She shoved away the memories with more force this time, locking them away until she could be alone.

This was the time to celebrate Satoshi.

This wasn't the time to dwell on the past.

Rin's eyes flickered nervously between Inuyasha's and Satoshi's faces before she seemed to come to a decision. "Would you… would you like to hold him?" Inuyasha's mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged out. It would have been extremely comical if not for Sesshomaru's heightened growl.

"Ugh, I think I better wait on that for a bit." He said a bit sheepishly, his eyes darting to Sesshomaru's predatorial face.

"That would be best." Sesshomaru stated, his expression softening as he turned to look at Rin. There was so much love in that little room that Kagome nearly felt suffocated by it. The way Sesshomaru was looking at Rin…

Well, she would have never thought him possible of it.

Yet, here he was, the great demon Sesshomaru in love with a human woman. Madly in love, from the looks of it. Kagome shuddered as she tried to imagine what that courtship had been like. Rin was either extremely brave, extremely lucky, or a bit crazy. Maybe it was all three.

But, then again, she knew best how love could take hold and never let go. Even with someone that you maybe shouldn't be with. She looked over at Inuyasha again and her heart sputtered in her chest.

Yep, she still freaking loved him.

She tried to shove it away. She tried to cage the feeling back up. But, it refused to taper down. She could feel it flaring up in her chest and begging her to cave to it. Her mind was in full-out war against her heart. Her palms became clammy and her heart-rate seemed to triple within a moment. The tips of her ears became hot and red as she stared unabashed at the silver-haired man that had re-claimed her heart against her better judgement.

They stayed for about another half-hour before they let the happy family have some alone time. They walked out towards her car in silence, Inuyasha trailing behind her ever-so-slightly. Kagome clenched and unclenched her hands, her nerves on edge as her feelings for Inuyasha swirled around her memories of giving birth. She continued to try, in vain, to push them back. But, they haunted her. They followed her every step and she couldn't escape them any longer. When they finally reached her car she stood at the driver's side door and glanced at Inuyasha. He seemed lost in thought, almost as if he was unaware that they had even stopped walking.

She cleared her throat to gently gain his attention. "Do you need a ride?"

He turned to look at her, his silver hair shinning slightly in the morning light that was just beginning to seep over the edges of the horizon. He nodded and walked over to the passenger's side before unceremoniously sliding into the car. Kagome stilled her crazily beating heart before she opened her door as well and started the engine. Once they were on the road she turned on the music. She made sure it was soft so that it wouldn't hurt his ears, but she couldn't stand the silence anymore. She needed something, anything, to fill the emptiness between them.

About ten minutes later he finally broke the silence. "Will you tell me about it?"

"Hm?" She took a quick peek at him. He was staring out the window, watching the slowly rising sun.

"About when Haruna was born…" He supplied

"Oh…" She muttered. Her concentration on the road slightly slipping before she made herself focus. "What exactly do you want to know?"

He turned to look at her and his golden eyes caught hold of her, not allowing her to refocus on the road. This… was a dangerous conversation to have while she was driving. She gulped as the ferocity of his gaze swept over her. "Everything." He stated. He turned his head to look back out the window and, finally, with his gaze broken she could return to focusing on the nearly deserted road in front of them.

"All day long I had these stomach cramps. They weren't bad or anything. I just thought that I was having acid reflux or something like that. So, it kind of surprised me when I woke up at 3:17 a.m. in the midst of my first real contraction. When it was over I just kind of laid there for several minutes. I couldn't believe it was happening… It all seemed so surreal." She paused, the music singing out a tune that she didn't recognize, albeit it was still calming. She took a shaky breath and tightened her grip on the wheel before she continued. "About ten minutes later I made my way to my Mom's room and knocked. You should have seen her. At first, she was all wide eyed and panicked, running around her room to get proper clothes to put on and trying desperately to make her hair at least somewhat presentable. As soon as that was done she calmed down immediately. She became my rock. She was steady, calm, and serene. I don't know how she did it, but she got my panicked ass to the hospital…" Kagome giggled and Inuyasha looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. His confused look only made her sigh dramatically, her giggles lacing it, before she continued. "My water broke while we were checking in. It's not a big splash like people think… But, there is a bit of a puddle. It almost felt like I was peeing myself." Kagome flushed, suddenly embarrassed at that admission. "The nurses took it all in stride, but there was this little boy behind me with a stuffy nose and he pointed at the back of my jeans, which were wet now, and shouted, loud enough for the entire waiting room to hear, 'That fat lady peed herself!'"

Kagome broke out into all out laughter as the memory warmed her. The mother had been so embarrassed. She had taken her snotty-nosed child immediately into her arms, quieting his outburst, and apologized profusely for the next five minutes until Kagome was swept away into her hospital room.

Inuyasha didn't look amused.

Kagome stifled her laugh before she continued. "Whatever… It was hilarious. Well, not then. I was completely embarrassed. 'Red like a tomato' my Mom said. When they got me in the hospital room the contractions felt like they would last forever. I was there for hours. It took a little over eight hours after my water broke for her to be ready to come out. Pushing, that was really difficult." Her face scrunched up at the memory. "There was this little moment where I thought I couldn't do it anymore. I didn't understand how any human being could do it. Then, I looked at my Mom and she gave me the strength to push again and that's when Haruna was born." Kagome smiled to herself. She had left out most of the messy details, but that was pretty much the gist of what had happened at the hospital all those years ago.

"You said something before, in the waiting room…" He trailed off, not finishing his sentence. The sun was now becoming a steady stream of gold and red over the horizon, its full appearance promising to arrive anytime.

"Yea?"

She heard him sigh and it made something catch in her throat. "About missing me…" His voice was so quiet that she had barely heard it. Her heart-rate sped up and in the relative silence of the car she was sure that he had heard it. The music danced around them soothingly, but in that moment she just felt trapped within a bubble of her own self-imposed fear. Her hands tightened around the wheel until her knuckles turned white.

"I did." Silently, in her head, she added 'I still do' before continuing. "I wanted you there so bad. Every time a big contraction would hit I would reach out for your hand, only to find you weren't there. It was…" She trailed off, unable and unwilling to finish that sentence. "Anyway, yes, I missed you. A lot. I really wanted you there."

He gulped. She actually heard him gulp. It was so startling that she turned to look at him only to find that his golden eyes were already locked onto her face. Her hands trembled and she forced herself to turn back to face the road.

"Um, yea, so would it be ok if I went and picked up Haruna first? We aren't too far from their place."

The sudden question only slightly stirred him from his trance. "Yea, 'course that's ok." His voice was deep and husky, there was something primal in it that was calling out to her.

Silence re-took the car and Kagome was eternally grateful for the noise form the radio. Inuyasha continued to look at her. His attention drifting from the rising sun to her face as she drove. She knew that he was contemplating something serious. That was the only time he had ever acted like this before. Whatever he was debating on, whatever his internal struggle currently was, it had to be about something big. Her palms became even more clammy as possibilities swirled in her head like a never-ending fog.

Finally, they came in sight of Miroku's and Sango's house. With a sigh of relief Kagome pulled up into the driveway. The sun was finally up in the sky, the tendrils of color it had created early this morning now long gone as its bright rays began to soak the earth with warmth. She turned off the car, the wonderful music ceasing, declaring the finality of their drive. She was just about to open her door, her hand on the handle, when his rough palm grabbed her other wrist. She twisted her head to look back at him and was met with a passionately determined face. There was something lingering in his eyes that she didn't want to name.

"Kagome…" His voice was sincere and she started shaking all over. She didn't know why, she couldn't control it, it was just her natural reaction. With a steady hand he reached out and grabbed both of hers, stilling a majority of her trembling. His eyes, though, never left her own. His lips tightened, as if he was fighting within himself to say the words that followed. "I missed you too."

Her breath caught in her throat and it was only sheer luck that she was sitting down, or else she was sure her weak knees would have given out on her right then. "You, what?" She stuttered, eyes wide and pulse frighteningly fast.

"You heard me." He huffed. He let go of her hands, but his eyes never freed her. "I still do." At that, his eyes shot down. His ears dropped in seeming shame and his hands clenched into painful looking fists.

Kagome's mind couldn't keep up with the words he had just said. Her brain had faltered, it was trying to restart to no avail. Her mouth gaped open dumbly, like a fish's, as words continued to evade her. Finally, she unintelligibly muttered, "You still do what?"

He looked up at her, a bit annoyed, a small blush clearly present along his strong cheekbones. "I still miss you, you dumbass." He seemed to add that last bit as a joke, his trademarked smirk lightening the once serious atmosphere in the car. Kagome fumbled. Her brain still couldn't comprehend what he had just said. The words filtered through, but their meaning seemed too impossible to actually be true. After another short pause, he spoke again, his eyes flicking towards the house they were parked in front of. "Shouldn't we get Haruna now?"

"Oh…" Kagome looked at the house, noticing one lone light on behind the entrance. Sango must have left it on for her for when she came back to get Haruna. "Yea, um, ok, yes, let's get Haruna." She was so mad at her flustered self that she rushed out of the car and up to the front door before Inuyasha had even begun to exit the vehicle. She thought she heard him chortle a laugh.

But, then again, she wasn't sure.

She knocked softly, waiting to see if anyone was awake before daring to ring the doorbell and wake all of the sleepy inhabitants. A moment later an exhausted looking Sango opened the door.

"Hello, Kagome! Inuyasha…" She nodded at him before averting her eyes. They followed Sango into the house. Her posture was slumped and the bags under her eyes proclaimed the lack of sleep she had received.

"You didn't sleep much, huh?" Inuyasha teased. Sango shot him a playfully violent glare before she collapsed onto a chair in the living room. She laughed sarcastically for a moment before she answered.

"Nope, I got all the sleep in the world." She yawned before running her hand through her long brown hair, deftly tying it up into a high ponytail.

Kagome smiled warmly at her friend. She remembered those sleepless nights with a newborn. Sango must have it even rougher though, with three children so close together. She honestly didn't know how Sango handled it all. "Well, I'll just go get Haruna and that's one less munchkin on your hands." Kagome turned to head towards the twins' room before she saw Sango motioning for her to stop.

"About that…" Sango looked nervous and apprehensive. Kagome didn't like it. "We had a bit of a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Inuyasha snapped. Kagome flashed him a look, but he ignored her. His arms were folded against his chest and he leaned back, resting all of his weight on one leg, the picture of dominance and defiance.

Sango flashed him an exasperated look before turning her attention back toward Kagome. "Haruna was playing with Ama and Chiho and the girls were confused. They didn't understand why Haruna couldn't hear them during their game of 'Castles and Dragon-Priestess-Warriors.'" Kagome couldn't help but smirk at the title of the make-believe game. She knew for a fact that Haruna had invented that particular fantasy land. "Miroku and I didn't know… We didn't know…" Sango trailed off, setting her shoulders in determination before looking at Kagome and Inuyasha again. "We didn't realize that Haruna had taken her hearing aid out. Ama and Chiho are good girls, you know that…" Kagome could hear the pleading tone in Sango's voice and she saw Inuyasha raise one eyebrow questioningly because of it. "They didn't understand why Haruna couldn't hear them. They thought that she was ignoring them. So, they started their own game. Alone. They didn't include her…" At this Kagome saw Inuyasha visible stiffen. "Haruna asked if she could join and the girls said a few things about her being mean and well… It all spiraled down from there. Haruna started crying, so the girls started crying, so Katsuro started crying, so Miroku nearly started crying…" Sango looked up at them, guilt evident in her eyes. "I noticed Haruna was missing her hearing aid so I went and looked for it. She had stuffed it down underneath a stuffed bunny in the living room. I put it back in her ear and I showed it to the girls. They were fascinated. Asking all kinds of questions. But, Haruna thought they were making fun of her and she ran away into Miroku's study. She wouldn't budge for anyone, except for him. She let him in and he calmed her down. She's in the master bedroom next to Miroku now."

Inuyasha stared at Sango for a brief moment before abruptly turning on his heel and marching off towards the master bedroom. Sango turned to look at Kagome again. Kagome was just trying to digest the story. She knew that Haruna may have some trouble around other people. But, she hadn't expected Haruna to take the hearing aid out. Sure, she did that at home sometimes still. But, in public, she never wavered with it.

"They really weren't trying to be mean." Sango begged.

Kagome looked at her friend and smiled sadly. "I know." She sighed and tried to give Sango a more reassuring look. "Amarante and Chiho are young, very young, of course they didn't understand. I'll talk with Haruna. I'm gonna have to teach her that people make mistakes. The girls didn't know…" Kagome trailed off, already trying to picture how to have that particular conversation with Haruna. Haruna was so perceptive, so kind, so smart… Still, would she be able to truly understand, at this young of an age, that people weren't always kind? That, even when someone didn't mean to, they could still hurt you? She shook her head, dispelling the troubling thoughts for now.

Just then, Inuyasha walked into the room carrying a sleeping Haruna. She was passed out, yet her little hands clung to him as if her very existence depended on it. He gave her a stiff look before heading out the door. She heard the door click shut before she even had time to move.

"I'm sorry."

Kagome looked at Sango and saw the pain etched on her friend's face so she quickly walked over and wrapped her in a tight hug. "It's ok. Thank you for watching Haruna." She whispered. She released her and smiled as best she could before she followed Inuyasha out towards the car. By the time she got there Haruna was already buckled into her car-seat and Inuyasha was impatiently tapping his nails against the dash. She slid into the driver's side and started the engine. This time, she didn't dare turn on the music for fear of waking her baby girl.

She knew from experience that it was never a good idea to wake Haruna from a dead sleep.

The sound of the engine was the only noise on the quiet streets as she drove home. "The girls didn't mean to be mean…" She whispered tentatively. Inuyasha's fingers flexed on top of the dash before he replied.

"I know."

Kagome thought back on Inuyasha's life… On the bullying that he had endured for having his wonderfully unique ears… He was well-accustomed to the hurt that people could inflict with words alone. "We can't protect her from everyone all the time."

"Yes, I can." He stated.

That was the extent of their conversation. The rest of the ride was completed in abject quiet. Kagome couldn't help but fidget underneath the weight of the atmosphere that choked the car. When they finally reached her apartment she darted out of the small vehicle as fast as her human body would allow.

For a second she thought she saw Inuyasha smirk at her antics, but it was gone before she could be sure.

He lifted Haruna carefully out of her car-seat and carried her into the apartment. He gently placed her in her bed and pulled the covers up tight around her before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Right now, it was time for Haruna to sleep. When she woke up they would talk to her about what happened.

With a painful lurch Kagome remembered that she had kicked Inuyasha out the day before.

It felt so natural to have him there. She really didn't want him to leave.

Still, she wouldn't allow her resolve to break that quickly.

He closed Haruna's room and walked back to meet her in the living room, a question lying wait in his eyes.

"Come back in the morning? Early? I'll make you and Haruna some breakfast? I, um…" She fidgeted, uncomfortable underneath his gaze. "I think it would be good if we talked about his as a family."

His slight frown morphed into a small smile when she said the word 'family'. "Keh… Like I'd ever let you have that discussion with her alone." His smirk grew slightly which helped her to relax. He turned and started to head for the door. It was only once he was nearly there that she stopped him.

"Do you need a ride? I could call a cab?"

His shoulders shook slightly in the barest of laughs. "I'd prefer to run."

"Oh…" She wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't sure what to say. All she knew was that her heart wanted him to stay, but her mind wanted him gone. The two parts of herself couldn't seem to reconcile with each other. Finally, her heart won out, at least slightly. "Inuyasha…"

"Yea?" His voice was gruff, but he didn't turn to look at her. His back was facing her, his silver hair cascading down in waves as his ears swiveled to take in her words. "I miss you too." He stiffened and she steadied herself to say one more thing. "It's all I ever do."

His shoulders shook.

She saw his hand tighten around the doorknob. A small part of her feared that he would completely crush it underneath his powerful grip.

"Goodnight, Kagome." It sounded shaky and unsure.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." She whispered. As soon as the words left her mouth he was gone. The door flung open and the cold morning air began to seep into the apartment. She closed the door before she retreated to her bedroom and snuggled underneath her warm blankets. The image of his shaking shoulders reverberated within her mind.

Why did he do that? Why did her words make him almost quiver?

She knew that she wasn't supposed to see that. She wasn't supposed to spot his moment of vulnerability. But, did that vulnerability mean that maybe, just maybe, he still loved her too?

Now, she was the one shaking.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself, that image of Inuyasha's shaking shoulders stuck on re-play within the cinema that was her mind. His words from when they were parked outside of Miroku's and Sango's place haunted her, not allowing her to fall into the peaceful embrace of sleep.

"Oh God… I miss you too…" She whimpered before shoving her face into her pillow and allowing her emotional hailstorm to take over.

~ Author's Note ~

Hello, everyone!

Do you like the new chapter? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Also, give the song "Miss You" by Gabrielle Aplin a listen. It fits this chapter and this couple pretty perfectly. Of course, I didn't want to stick too closely to the song story-wise. But, it really does set the mood for them openly admitting that they miss each other. So, give it a listen. I may or may not include other things from the song. I don't want to give too much away!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last time. Really, the reviews mean a ton and they help me to churn out chapters faster. Plus, if I know what you like and don't like it helps me to craft a better story.

~ FeudalAi


	12. Chapter 12

She missed him.

She missed him. She actually missed him.

That thought shook his brain. It rattled around, seemingly forever, before he could actually comprehend it. Kagome missed him. She still misses him. Did that mean what he thought it meant? He shook his head. No… That couldn't be true.

If it was true, her stupid phone wouldn't be beeping right now.

He tried not to growl at the offending device, but he found it nearly impossible to contain his inner frustration and confusion. It had been two days since their confession and not a word about the matter had been said since. He kept hoping that she would bring it up, that she would mention something again, so that he had an easy way in to get the answers that he so desperately wanted.

He was just too chicken-shit to bring it up himself.

His fingers flexed with his self-hatred. His anger at his cowardly self nearly overriding all his other senses until that offending beep blared against his sensitive ears once more. He bit his lip to contain his threatening growl and focused his eyes on the road ahead, letting his nails dig into the steering wheel instead of shredding up the phone that Kagome gently grasped.

He had returned to her place the day after Satoshi was born for breakfast with Haruna as he had promised. It had been a solemn affair. Over their delicious food Inuyasha had explained to Haruna about bullying. How some kids could be mean, really mean, and would want to hurt her. But, he also explained how some kids, especially really young ones, could be mean unintentionally. The twins hadn't meant to hurt her. They just didn't understand. Kagome and himself stressed that it might take a while for people to understand what was different about her and to adjust to all of the changes. To which, Haruna had just looked up at him, her eyes welling up with alligator tears, as she asked him a single-word question. "Why?"

Her broken voice had nearly been enough to tear him in two, for him to dash from the house and destroy those that had hurt her. The twins' faces flashed through his mind and he was able to steady himself, reigning in his anger just in time. He had seen those girls grow up. He had been there nearly from the beginning. As soon as the girls could waddle he had been chasing them around on all fours as they tried to capture the 'doggy'. While, out loud, he would loudly announce that he despised their nickname for him, on the inside, he secretly loved it. As soon as they could manage to walk he would let them playfully tackle him. They would always reach for his ears, pulling on his forelocks in order to climb up him to claim their prize. He would never let them though.

His ears… Well, they were only for Kagome and Haruna.

He hadn't even realized that he hadn't ever allowed anyone beside Haruna and Kagome to touch them until that day on the playground when Haruna firmly stepped into his life. He guessed that he would have let Kikyo, if she had ever bothered to ask. The only people who had even ever shown that they wanted to feel the furry appendages were the twins, Haruna, and Kagome. He loved the twins and they were basically family. He could not hurt them.

No… This was a lesson that he had to teach Haruna. He knew about being bullied. He knew about people being mean simply because you were different. She had to learn how to deal with adversity. Still, it was hard. She was his precious, perfect, amazing, little pup.

He hadn't wanted to show her just how ugly the world could be quite so soon.

By the end of the conversation Kagome had gotten Haruna to grudgingly agree to try playing with the girls again in a week or two. Until then, she would be easily distracted with sign language classes, homework, and hopefully tutoring. They still had yet to hear from the tutor but one had apparently been found and would be getting in contact with them soon to set something up.

The beep of Kagome's phone made him wince and he pinned his ears to his head in order to try to block out the harsh sound and its meaning. Satoshi was going to be two days old today. Rin and Satoshi had been allowed to leave the hospital the night before and Inuyasha had received a very brief call from Sesshomaru begrudgingly inviting them all over today so that Haruna could officially meet her cousin. While he was mostly dreading spending more time with his brother than was absolutely necessary, the happily bouncing girl in the backseat continually lightened his mood.

Haruna was just so freaking excited to meet Satoshi!

Her glee at the idea of meeting her cousin was contagious. As soon as they had told her about Satoshi being born she had wanted to jump in the car and go meet the new little baby. While her continual bouncing was almost starting to grate on his nerves, he couldn't deny her this small happiness. She had been so upset the day before with their big discussion on bullying that he was glad for anything that brought a smile to her adorable face.

Yet another beep from Kagome's phone finally made his slim patience snap. "Will you shut the damn thing off already?" His eyes were ablaze as he shot her a deadly look. She simply froze with her big, beautiful, eyes pinned on him. A moment later she nodded slightly, stuffing her phone down into her purse, as he spun back to look at the road. "Keh…" He muttered under his breath. While it may have looked like a victory, it sure didn't feel like one.

He felt like he had truly lost her.

He couldn't understand her. Why did she admit that she missed him? Why? Why would she admit that and then carry on texting whatever-his-name? It didn't make sense. He couldn't wrap his head around it. His heart felt like it was in one of those Chinese finger traps. The harder he tried to pull away from her, the tighter it squeezed the life out of him. With a heavy sigh he spotted Sesshomaru's house.

Well, he shouldn't say house. It was more like a mansion.

They were on the outskirts of the city. While this would increase Sesshomaru's commute to work, it was well worth it for the added acreage and square-footage the house could have. He pulled the car into an elaborate brick-laid driveway and waved at the video-camera intercom so that the servant watching would open the wrought-iron gates for him. A moment later and the gates with their family crest and a pack of running full-demon dogs opened for them. He pulled through and drove up the long driveway, passing row upon row of trees and fancy shrubbery as he went.

He could feel Kagome's eyes on him, watching him, evaluating him.

Haruna, on the other hand, was completely enthralled by the massive house coming into view.

The mansion itself had a European air about it. A big fountain sat in the middle of the driveway with the driveway encircling it. A large stone staircase led up to the first floor and Inuyasha eyed the large mahogany entrance door carefully. While Sesshomaru and himself were on better terms, he still didn't completely trust his brother.

He turned off the car and he was met with the gentle sounds of birds outside. That was the one thing that he really did like about coming here. You could hear nature. It wasn't like how it was in the city. The space here, it seemed to greet him warmly and wrap around his soul, comforting him with the smell of pine trees and exotic flowers that tingled his noise. He opened the car door before quickly helping Haruna out of her car seat. Kagome wasn't far behind. She quickly took her place on Haruna's other side and they each grabbed one of her hands as they walked up the slightly imposing staircase.

"So, this is where he lives?" The bit of awe in Kagome's voice grated on his nerves.

"Yea." He growled slightly. He felt Haruna tug on his arm and when he looked down at her she looked slightly confused at his gruff attitude. He forced a fake smile onto his face. It felt painful and disingenuous. Still, it was enough to appease his little pup. Just as they reached the top of the steps, before they could even knock on the door, a servant opened it for them and ushered them inside.

The grand entrance was a marvelous work of art. A giant curved mahogany staircase occupied the left and right hand sides and the marble floor underneath their feet was carefully done with their family's crest. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Sesshomaru could be such a showoff. He knew, from the past, that behind the entrance stood a rather impressive two-story living room with one wall completely made from windows. It allowed for a gorgeous view of the pool and landscaped backyard. To the right was a large kitchen beside a dinning room that could easily fit ten people. Upstairs there were five bedrooms, including a master suite, plus three bathrooms. Of course, that didn't count the living space above the garage that Rin had made Sesshomaru build specifically for him. That small space alone was completely self-contained. It had a small kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Plus, while he had never seen it, he knew that Sesshomaru had his own dojo somewhere on the premises. But, due to the destruction his sword could create, he kept it away from the house. There was no sense in Rin and any future pups being put in any danger by being within close proximity of him while he practiced.

Sesshomaru stood waiting for them in the entry hall. While to one less keen than Inuyasha he may have looked completely composed, Inuyasha could see the ever-so-slightly darkening of bags underneath his golden eyes.

Sesshomaru was tired.

"Pup keepin' you awake?" He teased, one eyebrow rising in his mockery.

Sesshomaru glared. "Satoshi is a healthy pup with a healthy appetite."

Inuyasha smirked, easily reading into what his half-brother had said. Satoshi was waking them up constantly in order to appease his massive appetite. While Sesshomaru didn't need that much sleep since he was a full-demon, he had probably been depriving himself of it for weeks as he carefully watched over Rin. Well, at least that's what Inuyasha would have done. "Good." He said, making Sesshomaru almost look at him in confusion. "I'm glad he is doing well. How is Rin?"

"Ask her for yourself." He said before turning to walk to the living room. Taking that as their cue the trio followed him into the room. A fireplace was set and it threw a nice wave of heat across the room that brushed off the remaining chill from the quickly cooling air outside. Inuyasha felt another tug on his arm and he looked down to find Haruna looking at him questioningly. He frowned slightly and leaned down, checking to make sure her hearing aid was on right. After he was satisfied he leaned back and gave her a gentle poke to the forehead.

Kagome had already let go of Haruna's hand, favoring instead to walk in front of them as she eagerly approached Rin. Rin was sitting on the couch, holding Satoshi gently against her in a pale blue blanket. While she looked completely exhausted, Inuyasha had also never seen her happier. He stole a glance at Sesshomaru only to find his eyes locked on Rin.

Inuyasha had to look away. That look of love… Right now, at least, it broke his heart. His eyes wandered back to Kagome and he felt that now all-too familiar stabbing in his chest before he was distracted by Haruna.

[Can I see the baby now?] She signed.

Inuyasha smirked. [Yes.]

Haruna let go of his hand and in a flash she was next to Rin. Her big golden eyes first looked cautiously up at the new Mom before Rin nodded, giving her permission. Haruna quickly crawled up onto the couch. Standing on her knees, she placed one hand on Rin's shoulder to balance as she peered over at the gently slumbering baby.

[Looks like Daddy.] Her eyes were alight as she looked between the matching pair of dog ears. Inuyasha couldn't help but stifle a laugh as Sesshomaru glared at him accusingly.

"What did she say?" His tone held a threat that Inuyasha didn't appreciate. His hands balled up slightly. Before he could say anything though, Kagome intervened.

"She only said that he has dog ears like her Dad."

Sesshomaru's eyebrows furrowed for a brief moment before his cool mask was replaced. "I see."

"She likes to use sign language when she can now. It helps her to practice and improve. She's been learning so fast, its hard for us to keep up!" Kagome laughed slightly, her eyes glued on the silver-haired girl inspecting the small bundle in Rin's arms.

"Of course. She is a smart pup." Sesshomaru admitted.

Inuyasha felt his chest swell with pride at his half-brother's statement. Everything else be damned, at least he had Haruna. He would never let his pup go. Never. Plus, regardless of what had happened in his past, even Sesshomaru had to admit that Haruna was something amazing. Inuyasha couldn't help but be constantly surprised by her. Her determination, her confidence, her trust, even in the face of so many obstacles, was completely astounding and mind-baffling.

He was so proud of her.

[My smart pup.] He signed, winking at Haruna. She giggled before returning to Satoshi.

[He's so little! He's beautiful…] Satoshi opened his golden eyes and Haruna seemed to loose herself. The love that instantly blossomed between them as Satoshi reached out his little arms towards her was like nothing Inuyasha had ever experienced.

Had Sesshomaru and him ever been like that?

He doubted it.

With a longing glance at Kagome he wondered what it would have been like. What their lives would have been like… If he had known about Haruna sooner. Would they be back together? Married, even? Would Haruna have a sibling by now? Watching Haruna gaze lovingly at the little baby pulled on his heart. He yearned for more. To give her more, to provide her with siblings, to see her face light up like that at the sight of Kagome's swollen belly…

Out of the corner of his eye he caught Sesshomaru shooting him a knowing look and he quickly scrapped the thoughts from his mind. No… None of those things were ever going to happen. Kagome, well, she was a puzzle that he was never going to be able to solve no matter how hard he tried. With a resigned sigh he moved to join Haruna.

The rest of their visit went quickly. Day quickly faded into night and soon Inuyasha was about to bring Haruna and Kagome home. There was only one surprising moment. Just as Inuyasha was about to leave the house to join Kagome where she was buckling Haruna into her carseat, Sesshomaru had stopped him.

"Do you need a job?"

Inuyasha had frozen, his back to Sesshomaru, before he turned around slowly in order to face his brother. "A what?"

Sesshomaru's jaw tightened. "A job."

Inuyasha couldn't stop his confusion from showing. It was readily apparent and it only managed to annoy his brother. "I have a job."

"A part-time job."

The air between them became static as they evaluated each other.

"What kind of job?" Inuyasha's heart lurched. He felt torn between accepting the kind offer and being humiliated that he may need to lean on his brother in order to earn the paycheck that he needed to support Haruna.

"Something mid-level. Lower level management, possibly." Sesshomaru seemed a bit unsure of himself and Inuyasha's nerves threatened to overtake him as he tried to processes the oddity of this conversation. "The pay is good, for you at least." Sesshomaru's pointed glare wasn't missed. It was clear that Inuyasha would make a much smaller salary than he did. "The health insurance is fairly extensive." He let that thought hang there for a moment before his cold voice continued with the final blow. "It covers children as well."

Inuyasha could feel his resolve weakening. He didn't want to rely on his brother. He didn't want his help. But… He turned to look out at Haruna, now safely strapped into her carseat. He would do anything for her, even demean himself to working for his brother. His entire body stiffened as he turned toward Sesshomaru with one last question. "Why?"

The very edge of Sesshomaru's lip twitched, almost as if he wanted to smirk. But, it quickly disappeared. "Rin." Inuyasha nodded curtly and turned to start heading down the stairs before Sesshomaru's voice stopped him. "And for Haruna."

Inuyasha's head snapped around only to find Sesshomaru already disappearing up the stairs. He could have sworn that he heard kindness within his voice, a level of softness that he was previously unsure the great dog demon could posses. He huffed, slightly frustrated at the abrupt manner that his brother had disappeared, before he marched down the stairs and slid into the car to begin the drive.

When he got there he walked them to their door, giving Haruna a tight hug before letting her disappear into Kagome's apartment for the night. His piercing eyes followed her as his instincts begged him to stay. He shrugged them off, forcefully pushing his own feelings to the side as his gaze locked with Kagome's conflicted eyes. He saw her gaze waver once, glancing at her purse where her phone still hid, before she began.

"Hey, um, do you think that you could do me a favor?"

He eyed her warily, not liking the nervous look on her face or the scent she was giving off. "Like what?" She fidgeted some more. Clearly uncomfortable with the request she was about to make. One hand came up to wrap around herself and he shied away from her a bit more, backing away as if to protect his own secretly vulnerable heart.

"Tomorrow night, could you watch Haruna for me?"

His brows scrunched up. Her scent smelt all wrong. It stank of confusion and her nerves. "Yea, after class. I gotta go to the dojo tomorrow to teach class."

"Oh, but you can come after that?" Her uncertain eyes rose to meet his and his heart lurched towards her painful.

With a frustrated sigh he glared at her. "I said yes, didn't I?"

"Oh, ok, good." She muttered under her breath as she began to walk away.

Without really giving himself permission he reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her back around to face him. As soon as the electric tingle of her flesh against his sprang up his arm, he quickly let go of her.

Still, there was a question scraping at the back of his mind that wouldn't be ignored. "Why do you need me to watch her?"

"She's more comfortable with you than anyone else, especially since she hasn't really made up with the twins." She looked away from him, but didn't turn around like she had before.

"That doesn't answer my question, wench." The edges of her mouth twitched up at the nickname he had given her back in high school. While not the most pleasant of words, it didn't evoke the harsh meaning that it was supposed to. Years of him calling her by it had somehow turned it into an awkward term of endearment. He bit the inside of his cheek, the metallic tang of his own blood a welcome distraction. He had slipped. He hadn't wanted to call her that. He didn't want to remember those days…

Those days when they were happy… Before he had become a complete fool.

"I… I have a date with Daichi again."

His whole body stiffened. Every muscle went rigid as her words came at him like arrows, piercing his entire being and murdering him on the spot. He didn't say another word to her. He knew if he spoke that he would crack. Instead, he turned and walked away, heading in a steady pace to his car before he took of into the dark night.

When he got home he nearly punched another hole in the wall. Instead, he pulled out his cell phone and decided to punish himself with pictures. It was an old habit. He had first started it after his break-up with Kagome. Every once in a while he would take out his phone, or his hidden pictures, and gaze at what once was. Tonight, the images were especially painful. He couldn't tear his eyes off of the few still remaining of Kagome and himself.

The ones with Kikyo he completely ignored, vowing to delete them from his phone later on. How he had forgotten about them up until that point was astounding.

He laid back in bed, his eyes nearly tearing up as he tore his gaze from his phone to instead stare at the blank ceiling above him. She didn't love him anymore. There was no way she loved him anymore. She missed him… Yea… But, she must have meant as a friend. His heart lurched again and he felt the pain in every fiber of his being.

He was supposed to be with Kagome.

He knew that now more than ever before.

She did something to him, something inexplainable. She soothed the tortured part of his soul that no one else had ever been able to reach. He couldn't stop her from invading his heart. No matter how hard he tried… He gulped, the realization dawning on him as a fresh wave of pain rocketed through him.

No matter how hard he tried…

… He would never be able to stop loving her.

Never.

With a pained groan he rolled over and tried to shut himself off to everything except the pain swirling inside him.

The next day passed mostly in a daze. His class at the dojo went well, but he found he was lacking his usual bravado and enthusiasm that he usually exuded during the sessions. The students didn't say anything, knowing from past experiences that it was better to leave him alone when he was like this. When it was over and he had taken a quick shower he wandered into the small office off of the main entrance.

Miroku was hunched over a large pile of papers and Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at his friend. "Sango stick you with the paperwork?"

Miroku sighed dramatically. "My dear, lovely, wife has once again abandoned me to complete the dreaded paperwork." He flourished his hands at the large stacks beside him. "She gets to have fun with the children, while I, on the other hand, am trapped in this cavern all day!" He leaned back into the chair, throwing his arms back as if he had collapsed, before lifting up his head to wink at Inuyasha.

He laughed slightly. "Let me guess, someone is sick?"

Miroku sighed, running his fingers through his slightly messed hair. It had come loose from his hair tie and strands were now hanging down into his face. "Its fine, nothing serious. Chiho just caught a little cold. The sniffles really." Miroku's gaze caught Inuyasha's for a moment as they both recalled Haruna's devastating trip to the emergency room.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh, glad the little brat is ok."

Miroku smiled knowingly. "You know the girls feel really sorry."

Inuyasha felt his posture loosen slightly as he moved over to slouch into one of the chairs facing the desk Miroku currently occupied. "Yea, I know."

"Good." Miroku muttered. The silence grew between them for several minutes, the only noise the slight ticking of a clock and the gentle scratch of pen against paper. Finally, Miroku had enough with his emotionally constipated best friend and started the conversation himself. "So, what is it that you want to talk to me about, Inuyasha?"

He looked up at Miroku, slightly startled. "Nothin'." He muttered as he crossed his arms.

Miroku sighed exasperatedly. "What is it? Come on, spit it out. While normally I would play along and edge it out of you bit by bit, I simply don't have that kind of time." He once again motioned to the amount of work surrounding him before his expression softened. "Tell me, Inuyasha. What's wrong?"

Inuyasha huffed and looked away, never uncrossing his arms. He lost his inner battle and soon found that he couldn't manage to shut up. "It's Kagome."

"Mhm, I figured that."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I don't like this Daichi." Miroku's grip tightened on his pen before he set it down on the desk, his full attention now firmly locked on Inuyasha. "She… She told me that she misses me. How could she say that and still…" The words disappeared and he was left gaping, staring at the wall, refusing to look at the only slightly shocked monk before him.

"Sometimes, people are not ready to accept what they know to be true within their heart."

Inuyasha turned a pointed stare at his friend.

"Even you, Inuyasha, have made the same mistake."

He winced, hearing the truth in Miroku's words.

"Still, I don't like it." He muttered, the fury in his voice weakening.

"And you shouldn't like it, my friend." Miroku smiled at him sadly before he picked up his pen, his eyes now focusing on the paperwork before him. "When Kagome is ready, she will come. Its up to you to decide whether you are willing to wait for her or not."

Inuyasha stood and walked to the door already hearing the scratch of pen on paper as he reached to open the door. Just as he exited he muttered, just loud enough for the monk to hear… "I'll never stop waiting for her."

He quickly left the room, completely missing the knowing smirk on Miroku's face.

That night he went over to Kagome's place and watched her leave for her date. It had been hard to hide his scowl. Once she left Haruna turned to him, clearly smelling his distress, and snuggled right up against his side. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Then, he leaned his head down to stick his nose in her hair and breathed in her scent deeply.

[I love you, Daddy.]

He couldn't stop the smile that her simple words evoked. He never thought that he would have this. A real family… Haruna was his pup and he would never, ever, let anyone take her from him. Even if he didn't have Kagome, he had Haruna. Haruna was such a big part of him now… She was someone he simply couldn't live without.

[I love you too, pup.] His grin grew. He couldn't help but feel some pride over having learned how to properly sign that. He had made a point at their last sign language class to ask the instructor how to sign 'pup'. Haruna turned and wrapped her little arms around him, pulling him in tight for a hug, before she leaned back and smiled a face-splitting grin at him. As soon as she smelt that his pain had faded she worked her way out of his arms and reached for the pile of homework awaiting them on the table.

"Alright, let's get to it." He sighed.

The hours ticked by rapidly. The pile of work in front of her slowly dwindled down to something manageable and before he knew it he was tucking Haruna into bed. He sat there and watched her for a while, marveling at the sight of her small breaths. The haunting image of her being intubated invaded his mind like a virus and he nearly felt tears choke his eyes. "Get it together…" He mumbled in frustration. He rubbed his eyes roughly, eliminating any trace of tears that had once existed, before he stood and walked out of her room. It was maybe only an hour later when he heard Kagome approaching the apartment. His entire body went stiff, his nose going wild as he scented her approach. The door opened slowly, as if she was trying to be quiet so as not to wake Haruna. She walked into the living room looking a tad dazed and confused. He could smell the confusion on her, its odd scent so powerful that it nearly overrode what his other senses were telling him.

Her breath hitched when her eyes fell upon him. Her fingers, subconsciously, shot up to touch her slightly swollen and red lips. Inuyasha's brow furrowed as a wave of fear rushed him. He knew that look… He had given her that look at one point in time… With narrowed eyes he took a bigger sniff just as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

He barely stopped his eyes from widening.

He couldn't stop the threatening growl that slipped past his lips.

He could smell Daichi…

He could smell Daichi on her damn lips.

She turned her face away from him, her cheeks pink, as she fidgeted uncomfortably beneath his angry gaze.

"Don't hide your happiness 'cause of me." He scoffed. He averted his eyes and leaned slightly away from her on the couch.

She stiffened momentarily, her fingers touching her lips again in wonder before lowering. He tried, in vain, to keep his eyes away from her. But, he couldn't. His gaze kept returning to her lips as if they had betrayed him.

Cause it sure felt like they had.

He knew, logically, that they hadn't. Still, it was hard to suppress his inner demon when he loved her so damn much.

"Is this happiness?" She questioned, her voice soft and curious. Her big eyes met his and he sucked in a breath, not daring to let himself hope.

"Keh, like I'd know."

She frowned slightly and turned, her hair blocking his view. His heart was beating like crazy, it was thrumming away in his chest at a neck-breaking speed. Why was he feeling like this? The pain that wrapped around him from the knowledge of Daichi kissing her was nearly soul-consuming, then why did he still manage to feel this shred of…

Hope. That's what it was. He felt hope.

"I guess I don't know either." She mumbled.

For a moment his pain faded away as his frustration rose to the surface, thundering over him in its need to be expressed. "Isn't that something you should know?" He snapped. She whirled around to stare at him, her eyes seemingly lost within a flood of distant memories. A second later and her haze dissipated, her eyes now clear and full of fire.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" She threw back.

He pointed a clawed finger at her, his anger leaking out. "It's your life! You should damn well know if he makes you happy or not!" His voice rose at the end, letting too much of his pent up love for her show. With an embarrassed huff he lowered his hand and crossed his arms against his chest, this time steadily averting his eyes from her seeking ones.

"Inuyasha?" She said softly.

"What?" The anger was still there, dripping off of each word he spoke. Well, he figured, at least it covered the pain.

"Why are you so angry?"

Her seemingly innocent question forced him to raise his head and meet her gaze once again. His eyes locked with hers and he couldn't stop himself from saying what he said next. "You know why." The heat and passion in his voice fought with his anger. He struggled within himself to control the longing and pain he felt overwhelming him. Her eyes widened, nearly saucer-like, in her surprise. He turned away, a blush branding his cheeks.

"Inuyasha…" He felt her small hand on his forearm before he could stop her. The gentle pressure was so soft, so familiar, that he nearly groaned as he inadvertently leaned into her touch. Quickly recovering himself, he pulled his arm from her grasp, instantly missing the feeling her mere touch had given him. "Inuyasha, I…" He dared to peek out at her through his bangs. Her face was downcast, studying the small space of couch between them. He heard her gulp, the smell of her nerves invaded his nostrils with a vengeance. He hated that smell on her. "I don't think I ever really moved on…" He kept staring at her, waiting with ever-fading patience for her to finish. "… from you."

She looked up at him and the tears lingering in her eyes made his breath catch in his throat. What was happening? What was she saying? What did this mean? His brain couldn't keep up with her actions. He couldn't keep up with her sudden detours and changes. Didn't she just kiss Daichi tonight? His eyes instantly flashed down to her slightly red lips and Daichi's stink met his nose and all his fury and anger rushed back at him in a flood.

"Then what the ever-living fuck are you doing with him?"

Kagome's breath hitched, the sound painful and high-pitched to his sensitive ears. She leaned farther back from him, her mouth gaping as she tried desperately to find words. He could see her searching, see the frantic look on her face, yet he felt no sympathy.

In this moment, he was simply pissed.

He couldn't make her words and actions line up. He wanted to believe what she was saying. Oh, how he desperately wanted to believe what she was saying. But, the smell on her told him that it couldn't be the truth. That her words would never be the truth. That he had lost her… The knives began to prick him again and he felt like his heart may just explode from the tumultuous feelings swirling inside of him.

Kagome was just about to speak, her hands curling into determined fists, her eyes bracing themselves for whatever she was about to say next, when a startled cry met his ears. Both of their heads flipped towards Haruna's door and he was off of the couch within an instant, beating Kagome to Haruna's bedside by a wide margin. As soon as Haruna saw her Dad, she froze, and the tears that had begun to fall ceased. Her big chocolate brown eyes met his and with a shockwave that reverberated through him Inuyasha realized that Haruna was human.

~Author's Note~

Please review! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last time, I truly love getting to read each of your thoughts on the chapter. It really helps me to know if people are liking how the story is going.

Sorry for the slight delay with getting this chapter up. Due to my current location, it can be very difficult for me to get the chapter uploaded on the website. Sometimes, it takes hours before it will properly upload.

Anyways, what did you think of this chapter? I'm really debating on the pacing of this story. I know where I want to go, I'm just not sure how fast it should get there.

~ FeudalAi


	13. Chapter 13

Kagome's shock wore off quickly. Silently, she cursed herself for not remembering that this was Haruna's human night. It only happened four times a year and she was usually so careful to note it in her calendar. But, it had been so hectic and crazy lately she had completely spaced out on it. Inuyasha's panicked expression faded quickly as he took the now silent girl into his strong arms. He sat down on her bed, holding her close to him and rocking her gently. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the sight. She walked over and sat at the end of the bed, simply watching them, until Inuyasha's eyes rose to meet hers.

"She turns human." He stated, his tone slightly flabbergasted.

Kagome's smile grew slightly. "Of course she does."

"But, it didn't happen the entire time that I was here before…"

The way his eyebrows pinched together in his confusion was completely adorable and Kagome had to raise her hand to her mouth in order to cover her small laugh. His ears twitched at the noise and she blushed at her forgetfulness. Of course she wouldn't be able to hide the sound from him. She cleared her throat softly to calm herself down. "Haruna is only quarter-demon Inuyasha, so she only turns four times a year. I like to think of it as a seasonal shift." One of his fangs popped over his bottom lip as he considered her words and her eyes were instantly drawn to the sweet plumpness of his lips. Her blush grew slightly and she forced herself to avert her eyes, banishing all improper thoughts from her mind.

"I see."

The room fell into silence. Kagome looked down at Haruna and realized that the little girl had been staring at them, following their words with her eyes. With a gentle smile she leaned forward, her chest gently pressing against Inuyasha's side, and grabbed the hearing aid. She slid it skillfully into Haruna's ear and leaned back only to be greeted by a faint flush across Inuyasha's cheeks.

"How are you feeling, Haruna?" Kagome asked, a little loudly, to her baby girl. Haruna's face just scrunched up and she didn't reply. "How are you feeling?" Kagome repeated. Haruna just looked at her, her eyes going wide, as her small hands darted up to her ears. She started clawing at them, tears budding in her eyes, before Inuyasha snatched her hands and pulled them away from her face.

"Cut that out." He snapped. "You'll hurt yourself…" His tone waned from anger to something much softer, but it was all lost on Haruna who was now crying once again. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, panicked, and simply started to rock Haruna again as he emitted that irresistible purr. Haruna leaned against his chest, pressing herself nearly flush against him, her hands placed firmly against him in order to easily feel the calming sensation. Kagome scooted forward and began to run her fingers through Haruna's hair, inadvertently humming a soft lullaby that she knew, logically, the girl wouldn't be able to hear. Still, she did it anyway.

Several minutes later, when Haruna had calmed down enough to turn her head away from where it had snuggled into Inuyasha's chest, she slowly and carefully signed three heartbreaking words. [I can't hear.]

Kagome tried to stifle the panic in her heart. When Haruna wasn't fully human she still had a small range of hearing with the help of the hearing aid. But, in her fully human form, all of her hearing was completely lost. [Nothing?] Kagome signed, making sure of her theory. Haruna simply nodded her head before once again turning into Inuyasha, her small arms grasping him with all that she had. Haruna fell asleep like that, cradled in Inuyasha's protective embrace.

"I think you should stay the night."

Inuyasha looked slightly surprised, but his gaze never wavered from the slumbering girl in his arms. "Ok."

With a lingering look she stood up and left the room. Inuyasha had Haruna tonight. He was the only one who would be able to make her feel safe when the world was completely shut off from her. Kagome crawled into her bed and wrapped her arms tight around herself. The entire night swirled in her mind, her argument with Inuyasha felt like it had happened days ago, not mere minutes.

Why was she with Daichi?

Yes, he was nice. Yes, he was seemingly perfect. Their kiss tonight had felt wonderful… Yet, something had been lacking. Daichi was seemingly perfect for her, why couldn't she just be happy? With a frustrated sigh Kagome flopped over and shoved her head underneath her pillow as she fumed. She was with Daichi cause she wanted someone new. She was with Daichi cause the thought of being with Inuyasha still hurt too much. She still couldn't seem to find it within herself to let down her walls and truly trust him with her heart.

She trusted him with Haruna. He was a wonderful Dad. He had shown that time and time again since entering their lives.

Still, she couldn't trust him with her heart.

She shoved her face deeper into the mattress and muttered out a soft scream. Her fists pounded twice against the bed as she let loose her frustrations at the world and herself. When Inuyasha had hinted that he may still have feelings for her it had made her heart beat painfully fast within her chest. She could feel a swell of hope rise within her and she had instantly tried to squash it back down. Still, she couldn't stop herself from admitting to her own tortured state, to the fact that she hadn't moved on from him… She hadn't moved on from him and she never would. With that thought her muffled screams ceased as she flipped around and roughly tossed the pillow back beneath her head. If she couldn't move on from him, then why was she dating Daichi?

It was simple. She wasn't ready to accept Inuyasha's love.

Her breaths came in deep and painful as she tried to still the rushing thoughts within her mind. Her mixing emotions combated each other, each demanding to be heard. What was she going to do? A moment later the sound of Inuyasha's deep voice made her gasp. He hadn't entered her room, rather he had raised his voice from where he still sat on Haruna's bed in order for her to hear him.

"Kagome? Are you ok?" The concern lacing his tone made her heart somehow manage to speed up and her palms become sweaty.

She laid one hand over her heart, gripping the fabric of her shirt, as she slowly stilled her breaths. "Yea, I'm ok." She knew that he would be able to hear her without having to raise her voice. She could almost picture how he was reacting. He would have shuffled slightly on the bed, adjusting his hold on Haruna, before muttering a soft and semi-disgruntled 'keh'. Kagome's muscles relaxed into the comforting embrace of her mattress. She let the image of him holding Haruna soothe her troubled heart and mind until she couldn't manage to keep her eyes open any longer. "Night, Inuyasha…"

The next morning seemed to come all too quickly. The faint light that streamed in through her window hurt her eyes and she had to pinch them tightly closed as she wiggled out of her covers. Once her feet touched the slightly cool floor she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and dared to open them once again. Taking a deep breath she stood up and opened her door, heading to the kitchen in order to make some much needed coffee…

Only to be greeted by the smell of a freshly brewed pot…

Inuyasha sat on the couch, idly flicking through old photos albums. When she entered the room his ears twitched, but he didn't look up at her. "Thought you could use some coffee."

Her steps faltered momentarily before she regained her composure. "Thanks…" She walked over to the pot and poured herself a cup of coffee. She quickly added a scoop of sugar and drop of creamer, enjoying the sight as it all blended together into a soft brown color. With the warm cup clutched in her hands she made her way to sit beside Inuyasha on the couch. When she sat down he glanced over at her before returning to the images in front of him. With the hot coffee now racing through her, warming her from the inside out, she managed to erase some of the haze that surrounded her sleep-fogged mind. "What are you looking for?" She leaned slightly forward, her hair lightly skirting the top of his arm, as she looked at the photos before him.

"Tryin' to find a picture of Haruna human."

Kagome's breath hitched slightly and she stood up. She walked over to a drawer in one of her cabinets and removed a small envelope that had been hidden inside. She made her way back to Inuyasha and gently handed him it. "Here…" She muttered. He looked at her slightly confused, but took the envelope anyway. Being careful of his claws, he slide the pictures inside out of their white sheath. "I was going to send those to you, once-upon-a-time, but decided against it. Those were the only photos that Haruna let me take when she was human. She kind of hates her human nights, much like you." She let that hang in the air between them as he slowly looked through the three pictures the envelope had contained. "I did have more, of course, but a year ago she found them and tore them up on me." Inuyasha's lips curled up in a smirk, a gentle laugh hidden beneath his smile. "I was so angry when I found out… She only let me take those three because I was going to send them to her Daddy."

His fingers stilled against the images and he took a shaky breath. "That right?"

Kagome leaned back again, making sure there was an acceptable amount of space between them once more. "Yep, she loved you long before she met you."

His hands tightened ever-so-slightly over the pictures, his claws gently tracing the outline of Haruna's small human form. "She looks a lot like you when she's human."

"Really?" Kagome hid her smile with her coffee cup. "I'd like to think so… But, she definitely looks more like you when your human. She is definitely your daughter." With that she looked over at him, leaning her head against the couch as she soaked in his appearance.

He was just so… Beautiful.

He would hate it if she called him that. In the past, all those years ago, he had outright balked when she had said that word to him. He had always claimed that he wasn't beautiful, if he was going to be anything it would be handsome or sexy. She bit her lip trying to contain the smile that wanted to grow at the memory.

The sound of her phone ringing pulled her from her thoughts. She reached over to the small table and answered it, frowning slightly at the unknown caller ID. "Hello, this is Kagome Higurashi speaking." Her formality made Inuyasha scoff. His ears twitched, pointing towards Haruna's room, and he rose from the couch to go to their presumably awaking daughter.

"Hello, Ms. Higurashi, this is the tutor that you requested for Haruna. I was told to contact you as soon as I could."

"Oh…" Kagome smiled, finally Haruna would have someone to help her push forward with everything that she needed to learn.

"Yes, I'm sorry for the early call. But, I had a sudden opening for this afternoon and wanted to know if I could start working with Haruna then?"

Kagome's smile only grew. The voice on the other end of the phone seemed warm and kind, hopefully the perfect person to teach her daughter. "That sounds good, but may I ask your name?"

The person laughed, their laughter soft and child-like. "Oh wow, I'm so sorry! I can't believe that I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Shippo Kobayashi. I am twenty-two years old and I just started my Master's program in childhood education. I plan to specialize on children with extra needs, such as deafness, blindness, or mental disorders."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Kobayashi."

He laughed again, the sound like tinkling bells. "Just call me Shippo. Mr. Kobayshi is way too formal."

"Ok then, Shippo. What time should we be expecting you?"

"Well, I need to ask you one thing first." An air of seriousness drifted through the phone and Kagome found herself holding her breath. Shippo seemed like the perfect tutor so far, what could possibly warrant this sudden seriousness? Her eyes flickered over to where Haruna was happily trailing Inuyasha out of her room, joyously back to her normal quarter-demon self.

"I have found that some people, regardless of how far society has come, have a problem with me when they meet me. So, I need to ask you, how do you feel about demons?"

Kagome's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I have nothing against demons of any kind. Full, half, or quarter." She chewed on her lip for a second before adding onto her statement. "Were you told that Haruna is only quarter-demon?"

The sudden silence informed her that he was not.

"If that is a problem for you then we can't…" She didn't even finish her sentence before he had cut her off in a panicked voice.

"No, no, no! Don't worry! I was just surprised was all. I have nothing against Haruna. I just, well honestly, I've never met a quarter-demon before. I've barely even met any half-demons. Well, I'm glad that's all cleared up. I'm so happy that you won't have a problem with me teaching your daughter."

Kagome's nerves at his previous serious tone slowly began to fade away. He seemed sincere enough. "Yes, I am looking forward to it." With that they made plans for him to arrive later that afternoon. When she hung up the phone she had a very curious half-demon staring her down with mesmerizing golden eyes.

Kagome smiled and answered his question before he could voice it. "Haruna now officially has a tutor. His name is Shippo and he will be coming this afternoon."

Haruna turned to look at her and her face lit up. [I have a tutor?]

[Yes.]

Haruna squealed and ran over to hug Kagome. She returned the hug tightly before letting go of the happily bouncing girl. [Breakfast?] Haruna's eyes lit up brightly and Kagome saw Inuyasha actually salivate at the thought of food. She couldn't stop her laughter as she walked into the kitchen to make a breakfast feast, her twisting thoughts from the night before temporarily forgotten.

Time sped by until Haruna's tutoring appointment. Shippo was nearly an entire foot shorter than Kagome. She couldn't help but be taken in by his carefree and playful attitude which, miraculously, made Haruna get comfortable being around him rather quickly. Inuyasha had simply sat in the corner, arms and legs crossed, and glared at the fox demon. Kagome, on the other hand, had to resist the strong temptation to reach out and pet the adorable fluffy tail that he sported. By the end of the session they had made plans for him to teach Haruna twice a week. Each session would take about two to three hours and he would help her to improve her sign language along with helping her to complete her homework. He had given Haruna a small test while he was there in order to access her abilities and as soon as he had checked over her answers his entire face had lit up with a smile, his emerald eyes flashing in the light.

His fur seemed to fluff out as he tilted his head to look at the girl with pride. His pointed ears stuck out of the pony tail his auburn hair was pulled back in. He placed his hands determinedly on his hips and made an announcement that brought tears of joy to Kagome's eyes and had Haruna sprinting around the room in a blur as she squealed out her glee. "I'll have Haruna back to school within a month!" Even Inuyasha managed to stop scowling and smile at his declaration.

Day soon faded to night and Kagome was tucking in an exhausted silver-haired girl. She hadn't been able to stop talking about how happy she was about going back to school soon. Her little fingers had made signs so fast that Kagome couldn't manage to keep up.

It was good to see Haruna so excited about something again.

Luckily, after Haruna was tucked into bed she didn't have to tell Inuyasha to leave the apartment. He just looked at her, his face solemn, before turning and exiting the apartment, waving goodbye as he left. Kagome sighed heavily as soon as he was gone and a sudden sense of emptiness seemed to envelop her. She looked around the room, noticing how quiet it all seemed. She walked carefully back over to Haruna's door and peaked her head in as she listened to the soft sounds of her small breaths. With a small smile she closed the door before heading to her own room. The apartment felt so empty without Inuyasha's presence. When he had been staying on the couch she had looked forward to seeing him there every morning. He filled the space and made her tiny apartment come alive. Without him… Well, it just felt like it was lacking.

It didn't really feel like home.

With a frustrated sigh she rolled her eyes at her own stupidity before falling into a fitful sleep.

The morning brought a frustrated half-demon banging on her door, waking her rudely from her slumber. The morning screamed by after that. She made them breakfast, chatted with them, helped Haruna do her homework, and watched Inuyasha play with Haruna in the park until, finally, he had to go teach class at the dojo. Just as he was leaving he stilled, his clawed fingers gently brushing through Haruna's slightly tangled locks, before announcing that starting next week he would be working at Sesshomaru's company.

It had shocked her so much that she had simply frozen. He looked at her one more time before wrapping Haruna in a hug and saying goodbye, never giving her a chance to really reply to his sudden shocking announcement. It had only left her thoughts scrambled. He was actually going to go work for his half-brother? By necessity she covered up her lingering shock and confusion rather quickly. She gently grasped Haruna's hand and walked her home before they slid into Kagome's car. Kagome buckled Haruna safely into her carseat before she started the drive. Today they were going to go to Sango's place for a playdate with the twins. Haruna's previously carefree attitude had twisted into one of worry and Kagome found herself constantly glancing in the rearview mirror in order to make sure that her baby girl was safe.

"Everything is going to be ok." She raised her voice just enough for Haruna to clearly hear each of her words. The little girl didn't answer, instead she only mumbled a soft 'mhm'. Kagome refocused her eyes on the road stretching out before her. Haruna needed this. She needed to face this. A big part of Kagome wished that Inuyasha was going with them. It was one more person that Haruna would be able to lean on. But, at the same time, Kagome knew that she needed to talk with Sango and that wasn't going to happen if an eavesdropping half-demon was lingering around. When they pulled up to Sango's, Kagome quickly slid out of the car and moved to the back to unstrap Haruna from the carseat. As soon as she was free from its protective constraints the little girl looked up at Kagome with wide puppy-dog eyes that begged desperately to get her own way.

[Do I have to?] Haruna's lip twitched down into a pout and Kagome grabbed her hand to start dragging her towards the door.

[Yes.] She signed firmly. Haruna knew better than to argue and simply followed her mother to the front door and then inside of the welcoming house once Sango greeted them.

Haruna waited nervously in the living room, her little hands fidgeting as she tugged on her lilac blouse. Only a moment later Sango was leading the twins out into the room. As soon Amarante and Chiho saw Haruna their heads hung in shame. The walked slowly up to her and Kagome couldn't help but hold her breath as she watched the events unfold. This would be a deciding moment in their friendship. They were so young… Too young to have to deal with and understand such a life-affecting issue.

Chiho's little shoulders began to shake and Kagome glanced up to see a struggling Sango. Sango knew how important this moment was, she couldn't intervene, not yet. Still, the sight of your child crying was a hard one to bear. They shared a sympathetic look before returning their attention to the scene unfolding before them.

Chiho looked up at Haruna, her big eyes wide and full of tears. Amarante looked at her sister before her hands clenched into little fists, her jaw tight. "We… We're sorry…" Chiho cried, her cheeks turning red and splotchy as the tears continued to fall.

Haruna stood there, mouth slightly gaping, as she took in the girls before her. Kagome could see her brain working and could tell when she had come to a conclusion. In an instant Haruna stopped fiddling with the hem of her shirt and, instead, ran forward to wrap her arms around both of the girls. Kagome's breath hitched as she watched them dissolve into a hug pile, each trying to hug the other, but none of their arms quite long enough to reach everyone at once.

"It's okay." Haruna said a little loudly. When they had finally broken apart Sango dashed forward with a tissue, relief obvious on her face, as she wiped away the remnants of Chiho's tears. When she was finished she patted her daughter's head before turning to look at Haruna.

"Can Ama and Chiho ask you some questions?"

Haruna nodded and smiled warmly at them and that was all it took before a firestorm of naively innocent questions rained down on her. Haruna took it all in stride. She showed the girls her hearing aid. She taught them some sign language. She told them that she had gotten sick with meningitis and that's why she had lost her hearing. She explained to them, in heartbreaking clarity, about her hearing impairment and what it meant for her. Kagome hadn't even realized that Haruna had known everything that she did until she heard her explaining it to the young twins. About an hour later the girls had completely made-up, all past troubles long forgotten, as they chased each other around the backyard.

Kagome couldn't help but feel an immense amount of pride in her little girl.

Stealing one last glance at the happily playing children, she turned to walk inside the living room where Sango was bouncing a fussy Katsuro. They could still see the children through the sliding glass door so Kagome decided that now was as good a time as ever to have some much needed overdue girl talk.

"So…" She began, her eyes still following the erratic running paths of the kids outside.

"So…" Sango's eyes never wavered from Katsuro's face as she waited for Kagome to speak.

With a heavy sigh Kagome's posture softened. "I don't know what I'm doing, Sango."

At this, her friend looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

Kagome looked over at Katsuro and stuck out a finger to gently tickle his belly, making him laugh, before she pulled away again. "With Daichi…" Sango picked Katsuro up and laid him down on a baby mat that had toys strung up in an arc above his head. He happily attempted to reach out his adorably chubby arms in pursuit of the gently jingling toys above him. When Sango sat back down, Kagome continued. "And with… Inuyasha." She admitted, a faint blush coating her face and seeping down her neck.

"I see…" Sango mulled over the thought before replying. The happy giggles of her baby boy filling the room. "You still love Inuyasha, don't you?" Her question pierced the air and Kagome knew that she couldn't, and didn't want to, avoid it.

"Yea…" She mumbled, her pain clear in her voice.

"What happened between you two was awful… But, it was nearly six years ago. He has grown up, a lot, in that time. You weren't here. You didn't see it. You missed so much when you just vanished." The slight venom lacing Sango's voice wasn't missed by Kagome. She looked around the room and listened to the laughter from outside that worked its way through the walls. Yes, by cutting herself off from her best friends she had missed a lot. Sango had never lectured her about it, but Kagome could always tell that there was a bit of resentment hiding underneath the surface.

"I'm sorry about that Sango… Really… I…"

Sango cut her off, waving her hand dismissively. "I know… Sorry, I didn't mean to get into all that. It's just, sometimes it hits me, just how much you missed…" Sango's eyes locked on the wiggling baby and a sadness fell over her that Kagome couldn't look at. Averting her eyes she continued to apologize.

"Still, even if I wanted to cut Inuyasha out, I should have never vanished like I did. I still should have stayed in contact with Miroku and you."

"Yea, you should have." Sango stated. "Well, no matter, just like with Inuyasha, you were young then." She reached over and gently squeezed Kagome's hand until she met her eyes. "Young people make mistakes." Sango smiled warmly before letting go of her hand.

"I just… I don't know if I could trust him again Sango!" Her frustration leaked into her tone, but it didn't seem to surprise her best friend. " I trusted him so much… And then… Well, you know what happened. Plus, he got together with Kikyo so soon afterwards… Did he even ever really love me?"

Sango's face turned serious. "You know that he loved you Kagome."

Kagome sighed, not wanting to have to admit that the words Sango spoke were the truth. "Even if I know that, it doesn't mean that I'm ready to open myself up to him again."

"Kagome, what you need to decide is what you're ready to settle for."

Kagome's eyebrow arched. "What do you mean?"

"Are you willing to accept spending your life with someone whom you will never be able to fully love? Who will, in all likelihood, never love you like Inuyasha does?"

Kagome sputtered. "I didn't say that he still loves me…"

Sango gave her a pointed look that screamed 'don't interrupt' before she continued. "Or, are you willing to take the risk on the love that you want and deserve? That's what this all comes down to. Can you, honestly, life your life with someone when you know that your heart belongs with someone else?"

The question hung there, taunting her, as she mulled it over. Could she truly live her life with any other man beside Inuyasha? Well, she could, but would her heart ever be truly in the relationship? She sighed, her shoulders slumping, defeated. "I think you know the answer to that."

Sango smirked. "I have always known, what mattered was you finally realizing it."

Kagome glared playfully at her friend. "Then why help set me up with Daichi?"

Sango shrugged. "You both needed to realize where your hearts belonged." Sango's pleased smile dipped slightly. "Though, I feel bad for Daichi. I didn't think it would take you so long to catch on… I thought that by the end of the first date you would have come to your senses…" She glanced at Kagome and Kagome couldn't help but feel her heart plummet. "I feel bad for being the one to put him in that position."

Kagome's heart felt like it now firmly resided in the hidden depths of her stomach. Daichi… He was so sweet, so wonderful, so perfect… But, she couldn't keep lying to herself… She couldn't keep lying to him. "I'm going to have to leave him now, aren't I?"

Sango eyed her warily. "That's up to you… But, if you know that you will always love Inuyasha, it isn't right to lead him on."

"I know…" Kagome muttered softly. Sango leaned over and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"No matter what does or doesn't happen between you and Inuyasha, you need to do what's right for Haruna and yourself, okay?" Sango whispered into her ear.

Kagome hugged her back tightly before letting go. "Okay… I will." The two shared a smile before the cooing noises coming from Katsuro took their attention and they returned to playing with the children for the rest of the evening. When they returned home that night Kagome texted Daichi asking to meet after lunch at a small cafe nearby his bookstore. Her heart tore at the thought of what she was about to do to him when she received his happily naive reply.

Tomorrow… Tomorrow she would be honest with Daichi and with herself. She had to be honest, regardless of the cost. She couldn't deny herself her true feelings any longer. Even if nothing ever developed between herself and Inuyasha, she couldn't carry on being with someone else when she already knew who she loved.

The next morning she was awoken, again, by Inuyasha pounding on the door. When she finally rolled out of bed she threw on a robe to keep herself warm from the steadily invading cold and quickly scrambled over to the door. She unbolted it and stepped to the side as a frustrated half-demon burst into the apartment.

"I need a damn key for this place."

Kagome smiled at his gruffness. "Yea, you do. We should get you one soon." He paused in front of her, making her nearly collide with a wall of flesh. "Inuyasha?" She questioned as she lightly poked his side, making him jump.

"Nothing…" He grunted. Haruna stumbled out of her room rubbing the sleep from her eyes and Inuyasha darted over to pick her up and playfully toss her into the air making her giggle.

"How about pancakes for breakfast, huh?" Kagome's stomach growled and the two partial demons in the room laughed at her. "What?" She smiled as she placed her hands on her hips dramatically. "I'm hungry." She drew out the words, making Haruna giggle at her antics.

[Ok, Mommy. Pancakes.] Haruna managed to sign before Inuyasha was picking her up and tossing her into the air before safely catching her once again.

A few minutes later and the playing ceased. Inuyasha had sprawled out on the couch as Haruna sat on the floor flipping through a picture book. Kagome turned away from the adorable scene and concentrated on the pancake batter before her. She tossed in a handful of blueberries and carefully folded them into the mix. She put the griddle on the stove and made sure to butter the bottom slightly before she poured the first batch of batter onto the pan. The sizzling sound it made was pleasing to her ears and she hummed as she worked, quickly finishing a dozen or so pancakes she put them on a plate and headed back into the living room.

"Daddy? Who's this?" Haruna was holding Inuyasha's phone. Her little face turned to look at him. Inuyasha cracked open an eye to peak at the phone. Kagome had just walked into the room and had sat down the plate of pancakes before them. She was about to turn back when Haruna's words stilled her and Inuyasha's reply made her heart stop beating. "It kind of looks like Mommy?"

Inuyasha shot up, his entire body rigid, as he snatched the phone from Haruna. "That's Kikyo."

"Kiky-who?" Haruna questioned, making Inuyasha even more flustered and uncomfortable.

"My ex, Haruna. Daddy isn't with her anymore." He replied. Suddenly, noticing Kagome's sullen face, he turned to look at her. "You ok?" He stood up, as if to reach for her, and without thinking she darted away from him, making a mad dash into her room.

As soon as she was inside she gulped in several large breaths. She hadn't even realized that she needed air… Her whole world had gone completely blank as soon as Inuyasha had admitted that the pictures on his phone were of Kikyo. Literally, all she had seen was a haze of gray and their words barely echoed back to her consciousness.

She knew, logically, that she shouldn't be so upset…

But screw logic.

Her hand clenched over her chest as she willed herself to get a grip. Her anger was bubbling up inside faster than she could extinguish it. He still had pictures of Kikyo? Did that mean that he was still in love with her? Tears stung her eyes as she realized that yes, of course, he was still in love with the woman who had taken her place. His words from a few nights ago, his implications, vanished from her mind as all her thoughts gripped onto this new fact. The sound of the door creaking open behind her snapped her attention back to the present.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice was soft and hesitant. He slid into her room and shut the door behind him, his eyes holding hers prisoner. "Are you ok?"

Kagome couldn't take it. She couldn't hold it in any longer. The dam burst and her frustration exploded. "No, I'm not ok! You… You…" She walked forward, stabbing his chest with her finger, their eyes never breaking contact. "You still love her!"

His jaw dropped open and his eyes steeled over as he recovered from his shock. "No, I don't!"

"Yes…" Kagome backed away, her arms wrapping protectively around herself. "Yes, you do. If you still have pictures of her…"

"Listen to me, wench." Inuyasha snapped, his eyes on fire. "I don't love her."

Kagome's eyes welled up. She wanted to believe him… She really, really wanted to believe him. Her lip trembled as she fought to control her raging emotions. Unable to control herself, she announced her darkest fears, the fears that lingered in the depths of her heart regardless of the logic that should have dispelled them.

"You never loved me! You replaced me with her… You loved her more than me!" By now, tears were spilling over making her cheeks red and splotchy as her emotions overran her.

Inuyasha's eyes looked deadly. All of his muscles had stiffened and his hands were repeatedly clenching into tight, ferocious looking, fists. "Don't ever say that." His voice was deadly calm and serious.

"But, it's true!" Kagome managed to choke out as all the pain she had been trying to hold in over the course of the last six years erupted all at once.

Suddenly, his strong hands were gripping her upper arms. "No, it's not." He growled out before, in one fluid motion, he pulled her up against his chest and pressed his lips down upon hers.

Kagome melted.

Her anger seemed to vanish the moment his lips collided with her own. The familiarness of his touch sent her senses into hyperdrive as she kissed him back, the fire spreading within herself wild and unchecked. His lips were demanding. They demanded that she listen to him. Demanded that she heard the truth. Their softness molded against her own plump lips and she couldn't help but moan slightly into the kiss. She felt his hands tighten, then loosen, around her arms before he quickly let go.

Just like that, as sudden as it had started, it had ended.

Kagome swayed, slightly out of it, as she stared at the flustered half-demon before her. His eyes were wide and his entire face was covered in a sweet blush. Her heart was near bursting in her chest and an odd mixture of emotions swirled up within her. She wanted to jump back into his arms and punch him all at once…

Before she could make any kind of decision, or make any sense of what had just happened, he decided for them. He leaned away from her, head down, bangs covering his once adorably flushed face. "Sorry, Kagome… I shouldn't have done that."

She felt frozen, trapped by his words and her own rapidly spreading desire. She knew that she had to do something, she knew that it was now or never…

But, she never got the chance.

Haruna opened the door and stared wide eyed at her parents. [Mommy, are you ok? I heard yelling?] Her big eyes were filled with concern and Kagome immediately kneeled down to hug the small child to her chest.

The moment now broken, they slowly returned to their now cold blueberry pancakes. Kagome avoided looking at Inuyasha and he avoided looking at her. Finally, when it was just past lunch, she asked Inuyasha to watch Haruna while she ran an errand. With a mixture of apprehension and guilt on his face he had agreed and she had quickly scurried off to do what she knew she had to.

The cafe was small and quaint. Kagome had gotten there first, but Daichi wasn't far behind. His eager and expectant smile broke her heart as she steadied herself to give him the news. He sat down across from her, his smile dipping somewhat when he noticed her solemn expression. He reached out across the table and gently took her hands in his.

It was nothing like Inuyasha's touch.

Inuyasha's chaste kiss still danced upon her lips. The fire his touch had invoked within her was still seeping into every fiber of her being. He had ignited her. She shook, her hands literally twitching, as she slowly pulled them out of his and placed them safely in her lap.

"Kagome?" His eyebrows scrunched with worry. Realization began to dawn on him and he leaned back into the hard metal chair. "This is the end, isn't it?" His voice wasn't bitter, but it definitely wasn't happy either.

"Daichi, I…"

"Stop, you don't have to explain…" His defeated look crushed her.

She had been so cruel to him. She had led him on. She had acted like a hormonal teenager instead of a fully grown adult and mother. "I need to explain." All of a sudden he just looked sad. He didn't say anything else so she continued. "I really like you. You are such a great guy. Really, I've never met anyone as perfect as you are." She managed a vague smile and he seemed to relax at the sight. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, as he stared deep into her eyes.

"If I'm perfect, then why?" His searching gaze forced her to admit the painful truth.

"You're perfect, but he's the perfect one for me." Kagome took a deep breath to steady herself, not allowing herself to look away from Daichi's slightly pained face. "I know that you're worth it. I just… I realized that I never stopped loving him. We have so much history. I couldn't keep leading you on like this."

His gaze never left hers and they seemed trapped within an emotional hailstorm. "Is it Haruna's father?"

Kagome gulped and simply nodded in response.

"I see…" Daichi stood and looked at her, his smile not quiet genuine even though she could tell that he was really trying. He was such an amazing guy and she had been such a complete jerk. "Good luck, Kagome…" He started to walk away before turning back to say one last thing. "Just… Just be happy, okay?"

A little bit of concern laced his voice and she could only gape in wonder at him. She had just turned him down. She had just admitted to leading him on. She had just admitted that she liked someone else… Yet, here he stood, telling her to be happy. She managed to nod and with a sad smile he left, disappearing from her life forever. She felt a pang watching him leave, guilt over her own childish actions eating her alive. As soon as he was gone from her sight she stood up on two shaky legs and slowly began the trek back to her apartment where Haruna and Inuyasha awaited her.

Inuyasha…

Her fingers came up to glide across her lips. They tingled as the memory of his kiss washed over her yet again. Was she ready? Was she ready to let him back in and start trusting him again?

~Author's Note~

When Kagome is ending things with Daichi you should listen to "History" by Olivia Holt. That song fits Kagome and Inuyasha perfectly in this story.

So, this was a massive chapter. I really hope that you enjoyed it. So much happened!

We are nearing the three month anniversary of this story and I was thinking about posting a Short on the anniversary from a new POV, maybe from Sesshomaru, Sango, or Miroku's perspective. What do you think of the idea? Let me know.

Also, due to a lot of work stuff happening right now I may only be able to post one chapter a week. I will still strive to do two, but I wanted to let you know just in case.

Thank you so much for all the reviews!

Please review, I really appreciate every single one of them. They mean a lot.

~FeudalAi


	14. Short - Sesshomaru

Sesshomaru marveled down at the gently slumbering pup that laid safe within his elaborately carved crib. He stood there and simply watched as the amazingly small thing drew in little breaths, his chest rising and falling at a steady rhythm. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes slightly as he observed his pup. How could he, the great Lord Sesshomaru, have fallen so completely for something so weak? His eyes further narrowed as they observed the crescent moon on his pup's forehead. With a slightly irritated growl he turned away, still unused to the pleasant feelings of happiness and pride that swirled up inside himself whenever he saw the pup.

It was… A slow adjustment for him. He wasn't used to loving something so utterly and completely. Especially, not from the first moment he had laid eyes on it. As soon as the screaming pup had been placed in Rin's arms, still covered in the goo that came naturally with being born, his heart had glowed with warmth. He couldn't understand the feeling. He couldn't wrap his extremely logical brain around his completely unfounded and instantaneous love for the pup. Still, it had happened, as soon as he had seen his pup he had completely fallen for the little thing. Honestly, he wasn't even sure how that was even possible, especially for someone like him. When Rin had turned her big eyes up to look at him, happy tears begging to escape, he couldn't help but wrap his arm around her shoulder and lean into her.

He utterly hated publicly displays of affection, so that was kind of a big deal.

He glanced around the pup's room, gliding silently over the thick dark grey rug that spanned the middle of the space. The large windows had white curtains that shown in the bit of moonlight that flickered through. A changing table and dresser were set up against the opposite wall, they were just as intricately carved as the crib, and a large rocking recliner took up the corner closest to where the pup slept. The walls were painted with traditional images of dog demons running through fields and it was easy to spot the one designed to look like Sesshomaru. It stood tall and strong, much bigger than any others that were shown. His lips curled up in the tinniest essence of a smirk before he looked away from the painting that Rin had demanded coated the walls of their pup's room.

He heard a soft moan of discomfort and turned to look over at Rin who had fallen asleep awkwardly in the chair. Rin… Even in her disarrayed state she was beautiful. At the moment, her hair twisted up in ways that it shouldn't and bags could be seen hanging beneath her eyes. He moved across the room, his presence completely missed by the two slumbering inside. When he reached Rin he first checked to make sure she was soundly asleep. Her neck was twisted at a rather odd angle and he carefully adjusted her so that she could lay more comfortably. As soon as he was about to pull his hand away from the back of her head, she turned her face to nuzzle into his palm.

"Sesshy…" She mumbled, still solidly asleep, as she snuggled against his palm. He smiled softly, allowing himself to abandon the cold mask that he usually kept in place, even around Rin. Now, nobody was awake and he could let all of his barriers and defenses fall away. He rubbed his thumb gently over her cheek, careful for his claws, before he gently pulled his hand away and leaned in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "Mhm…" She mumbled. He smirked against her, his lips still softly touching her smooth skin, before he pulled away.

His fingers twitched slightly as the sound of a soft whine invaded his ears. Rin squirmed on her chair, nearly awakening, and he glanced down at her again to take in her exhausted appearance. He went back to the crib to pear in at the now awake pup. The pup quieted at the sight of him before he began to squirm and attempt to reach up towards his father. Sesshomaru could barely contain the smirk that wanted to grace his face. The pup began to whine again and Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him.

"Enough." He commanded. The pup stilled, his golden eyes wide, as he miraculously followed the command. Sesshomaru contained the surprise that wafted up inside himself at the pup's instinctual obedience. Still, while the pup quieted, he continued to reach out towards his father. Sesshomaru felt a bit torn. He hadn't held the pup yet. He was only a few days old and Sesshomaru had, for inexplicable reasons, not had any desire to actually embrace him. His fingers twitched. He didn't want to wake Rin. She really needed some sleep. With one last glance at his beloved wife he reached down into the crib, ever mindful of his claws, and picked up the pup. He cradled him to his chest and supported his head like he had seen Rin do countless times.

The pup leaned into him, pressing his furry dog-like ears against his chest. With an adorable little gurgling noise he seemed to settle there. His big golden eyes locked on his father's face as he listened to the sound of his heartbeat. Sesshomaru rocked his arms gently, soothing the pup even more, as he left the nursery and began to aimlessly walk down the hall and into his study. He wasn't quite sure why he had come here, the deep red velvet curtains and overall grandeur of the place made the pup stand out starkly in comparison. The pup began to fidget, his chubby arms moving as he looked for something to hold onto to. His small face began to scrunch up promising the onslaught of tears when Sesshomaru, resigned, lifted one hand so that the pup could grab onto one of his slim fingers.

The pup squeezed his finger and Sesshomaru was slightly amazed at the strength within his small hands. The squeeze didn't hurt, it was far from that, but the amount of pressure that the pup managed to exert had completely taken him by surprise. He turned his head, looking to the side instead of at the pup's face, and scoffed. Of course his pup was strong, it was his after all. He stared off into the recesses of the room, his mind slightly lost in thought, until the smell of blood startled him from his reverie and the sharp cry that followed the unpleasant scent forced his now panicked attention back to the pup held within his arms.

When he hadn't been looking the pup had tried to grip his finger with his other hand, but had only grabbed his sharp claw instead. With a hiss at his own stupidity Sesshomaru quickly grabbed the injured hand and was relieved to notice that it was only a small scratch. The bubbling panic within him tapered somewhat and he leaned his head down, his hair surrounding them in a silver flood, and gently pressed his lips to the wound, his tongue flicking out to clean the small droplets that had formed. The pup stilled as if amazed by what his father had done. When he leaned back he stared into the boy's eyes, gold clashed with gold and Sesshomaru's firm set jaw managed to somewhat relax.

"Don't do that." The command came out soft and nearly pleading. Angry with himself even more for his weak tone Sesshomaru leaned back from the pup, breaking eye contact. Instantly, the pup began to bawl. The sharp cries collided with his ears and he tried, in vain, to ignore the desperate pleas of the pup within his arms. Finally, after several minutes of the painfully loud noise, Sesshomaru snapped his head back down to glare at the pup.

The pup chocked back his tears, the loud cry fading into a soft, nearly hiccuping, noise as he slowly calmed down. His big eyes were awash with tears and Sesshomaru's heart pinged at the sight. He couldn't seem to stop berating himself for his own repeated stupidity. He wasn't sure how to do this… He wasn't sure how to be a father. It appeared that it wasn't something that was innately contained within his wide-reaching knowledge and abilities. He scowled slightly and this seemed to incense the pup within his arms who once again began to squirm. He could see the pup's lips beginning to quiver again, the threat of his cry quickly rising. Sesshomaru's eyes widened, slight panic invaded him along with instant frustration at the annoying feeling.

"Pup…" He growled out, low and threatening. But, it only made the situation worse and the pup began to thrash in his arms, his tears once again spilling over as his sharp cries attacked Sesshomaru's oversensitive ears. That strange feeling of panic continued to grow within the pit of his belly, snaking up through his throat and making his entire body tingle with apprehension.

He did not like that feeling.

The great Lord Sesshomaru wasn't ever supposed to feel such troublesome emotions.

He growled again, it slipped from his throat menacingly and unchecked. That growl, he knew, could bring even the strongest of demons to their knees before him. Yet, his pup continued to bawl, completely ignoring the implied demand. His fingers tightened so much that he heard his knuckles pop slightly at the pressure. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he laid the pup between his arms, cradling his soft head in both of his hands, while his bum pressed up against Sesshomaru's chest. In this position he could stare directly down at the squirming and over-tired bundle. The pup's tears seemed to still momentarily as he gazed up at his father in this new position, the feeling of Sesshomaru's fingers gently rubbing his head where they held him undoubtedly soothing. Sesshomaru took this moment to his advantage and leaned down his head so that their identical crescent moons nearly touched. The stubborn pup pouted up at him, making his heart skip slightly at the pleading look.

"What? What will make you happy?" The pup stilled a bit more, the corner of his lip twitching slightly right before Sesshomaru heard a soft 'fwoooh' and the slightly toxic smell of the pup's fart collided with his nose. His nose wrinkled up, and he really wanted to be angry about the unpleasant smell that now seemed to coat the air around them, but the pup giggled happily at the release of his trapped gas and Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk at his glee. "My pup…" He muttered, nearly under his breath. The little silver appendages that reminded him so ruefully of his half-brother twisted towards him at full-attention. "My pup…" He repeated, his fingers continuing to skillfully rub against the pup's soft silver fluff of hair. The scent of pup floated up to him… It was hard to describe, it was simply so fresh and innocent.

He was so absorbed with the pup that he didn't quite hear the soft sound of bare feet heading towards the room. The smell of the pup's gas and light scent temporarily blocked the smell of the new person entering the room unannounced.

Sesshomaru's eyes were locked on the pup's. As he continued to gently rub the pup's head he inadvertently began to emit a rumble from deep within his chest. It seemed to soothe the pup who was soon yawning, his small mouth opening impossibly wide as he sucked in a sleepy breath. The pup mumbled slightly, almost seeming to nuzzle in closer to the arms gently cradling him, and fell back asleep. Almost without thinking about it, Sesshomaru leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on top of the pup's crescent moon. "Satoshi…" He murmured in a deep voice.

"You know, that's the first time you've used his name." The sound of Rin's voice had his head snapping back to look at her. If he had been a lesser demon he may have even dropped the pup due to his surprise. His lip curled up slightly as he growled his frustration at her. She simply smiled at him, her warm and beautiful smile, before she walked over and wrapped one arm around his waist, leaning her head down to rest against his shoulder. "He's beautiful, isn't he?" Her eyes were locked on Satoshi and Sesshomaru turned his head slightly to do the same. He looked at his crescent moon, silver hair, golden eyes, and even those damnable ears… Yet, regardless of his similarities to his bastard of a half-brother, he couldn't help but agree with her.

"Yes, he is." The simple words seemed to fill the room and give the place an entirely warm feeling. This was what it meant to have a family… This was what it meant to love.

Rin turned to look up at him, her gentle movement was all he needed as an invitation. He angled his head down and captured her lips with his own. She sighed into the kiss, all the love for the family they had created together was communicated effortlessly in the quick moment. He leaned back before resting his forehead against her own. His feelings swirled inside of him, weird feelings that he wasn't sure how to name because they were new and confusing and he didn't want to deal with the incursion of emotions this women caused him. Yet, here he was, standing next to her and loving every minute of it.

He didn't need to say anything. He never really had to around Rin. She just somehow knew. She knew without words what he was feeling. She leaned up on her tip toes to place one more soft kiss upon his lips before she leaned back and smiled gloriously up at him. "I love you, Sesshomaru."

He simply growled low and appreciative in response before pressing a kiss to her forehead as well.

~Author's Note~

So, there it is! I've never really done this before… I've never put a Short into a story or made any chapters that didn't directly relate to what was happening to the main characters. This Short was filled with fluff. I really hope that you enjoyed it even though it was completely lacking plot-wise for the main story.

Thank you so much! It has been three months since I first posted "Letters" and this story has spun into something so much bigger and better than I had planned.

I can hardly believe it, we are over 100 reviews now! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Please continue to review, it really helps me to write and I absolutely love to get to hear your thoughts on what's going on within the story.

~FeudalAi


	15. Chapter 14

He had kissed her. He had fucking kissed her!

How stupid could he get?

He had let his feelings show. He had let them leak out from the slim control that he had over them and now he just felt utterly exposed. She must know, by now, how he felt about her. That kiss… That kiss had been like fire raining down all around them. It had overtaken his soul as he claimed her lips. The feeling of their soft pressure beneath his own had sent tingles down his spine and made him want to never let her out of his strong embrace again. He had been in a daze… His mind had been swarmed by his anger at her for ever thinking that he had loved Kikyo more than her. But, even more than that, he was angry at himself for even giving her that impression. He loved her. He loved Kagome. He loved her with everything that he had. Every single fiber of his being screamed out for her. For her touch, for her kiss, for her love…

Shit, did he want her to love him back too.

He couldn't stop the hope that flooded him. When she kissed him back any restraints that he had wrapped around his heart had broken. He was completely exposed, completely vulnerable, to her breaking his heart. Which, he figured, he probably deserved. As soon as he had realized what he had done, as soon as his rational thoughts caught up to the instinctual part of him that had dove in for that kiss, he had reluctantly pulled back. He didn't want to, he really didn't want to… But, this was her decision. Whatever they were or weren't going to be was up to her and he needed to give her a chance to decide. Haruna's interruption had been, needless to say, extremely irritating. Still, she was only concerned about her parents. She was such a caring little girl.

Inuyasha moaned as he threw his head back against the backrest of the couch. Haruna sat at the table before him with Shippo. The fox demon looked over at him curiously and Inuyasha shot him a glare. Shippo only smirked before turning back to Haruna. Inuyasha promptly shut them out, tuning his mind to the concerns that laced his heart instead. Kagome had left and they hadn't had a chance to talk… He knew that she had probably gone to see Daichi. The mere thought of her with another guy made his hands curl into fists, his sharp claws cutting into the palm of his hand. He wanted to growl, he wanted to rip a damn pillow in two, he wanted to take out his frustration and nerves on something, someone, anything…

A light tap on his knees made him lift his head to spy Haruna poking him. [No, Daddy.]

"No what?" He snapped, immediately ashamed of his harsh voice he smiled softly at her.

Haruna simply stood up and reached over to grab his hand. Gently, her small fingers uncurled his. As soon as she did that he could see small bright red crescent marks. [That.] Haruna signed before pointing to the cuts on his palms.

He sighed heavily and took his hand back. [Okay.] He smiled at her and quickly reached over to ruffle her hair, thoroughly distracting her from the slight hint of the smell of blood in the air.

Haruna squealed, her words coming out broken and disheveled. "Daddy, stop!" He smirked at the flustered girl. When he finally stopped her hair was a mess and her face was flushed. She turned accusatory eyes onto him and crossed her little arms determinedly across her chest and huffed.

[Daddy loves you.] He signed before he leaned over and poked her gently on the forehead.

Her angry posture softened at the gesture and she smiled back at him. [I love you too.]

Inuyasha smirked. [Study now.] Haruna nodded at him and sat back down at the table with Shippo. He watched as she ran her small fingers through her hair, attempting to finger-comb out the knots that he had inadvertently made. Her cheeks were still flushed from all of her laughter and Inuyasha had a hard time prying his eyes away from the sight of his little pup so happy.

The sound of the door opening made his head turn and his heart quicken. There was only one person that could be. Only a moment later Kagome walked into the room and his breath caught in his throat. Their eyes met, holding each other hostage for a few precious seconds, before she broke away and nervously wrapped an arm around herself. Inuyasha felt trapped. He wanted to speak. He wanted to say something, anything, to clear the tension and nerves that lingered in the air. But, now was once again not the time. Haruna looked up and greeted her Mom and Kagome walked over to see how her work was going. Inuyasha simply just sat there and watched her, his eyes never leaving her. He knew that she could feel his eyes on her by the way her cheeks blushed. The light pink color was simply intoxicating and he was thrilled that he was the one who had caused it.

He didn't care what happened between her and Daichi. He could smell Daichi's lingering stink on her, most notably on her hand, and it made him grimace with disgust. Still, that didn't matter, that stench could be fixed.

He wanted her, forever and for always.

His lips turned up into a corny smile as he watched her. The way she interacted with Haruna warmed his soul. To see her caring for their pup… It filled him with pride and an insane level of protectiveness that he had to forcibly quench whenever Shippo touched them. He had to remind himself over and over again that this person, this demon, in front of him was not his enemy. Not now, at least. This was Haruna's tutor and under no circumstances was he allowed to hurt him… Still, that fox had a special way of grating on his nerves.

"Hey dog, stop drooling." Shippo's distinct voice teased him, making him snap his head around to glare at the auburn-haired brat.

"None of your business, fox-shit."

"Inuyasha, language!" Kagome snapped. His eyes flickered over to her and he couldn't help but melt at the adorably angry look on her face.

"Keh…" He muttered as he slouched a bit more into the comfortable couch.

Shippo's face lit up with a mischievous smile. "You like her." He stated as he angled his head to point at Kagome. He drew out the word 'like' making it last twice as long as normal and increasing Kagome's blush ten-fold.

His ears perked up at the sound of Kagome's rapidly rising heart-rate. He narrowed his eyes slightly at her. Did she like him? He was afraid of the hope that swam in his chest. He was afraid of the tightening he could feel around his heart as his nerves kicked into high gear.

"Well?" Shippo teased behind a playful laugh.

Haruna glanced up at the adults, seemingly decided that they were being boring, and returned her attention to her work. Inuyasha, on the other hand, began to sputter incomprehensible words. He had been quiet for way too long earlier. Now, all his sputtering and blushed cheeks did was nudge Shippo on even more.

"You don't just like her, you love her!" Shippo proclaimed as he pointed one finger at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's hands tightened, his knuckles cracking slightly, as his anger at the playful fox overtook the embarrassment and nerves he was previously encumbered by. In his head he kept repeating his mantra, 'must not kill fox, must not kill Haruna's tutor, must not kill fox'. But, everyone had their breaking point…

And Shippo's knowing giggle was apparently his.

With a growl that made Shippo's smile drop and Haruna glance up, Inuyasha lunged. The fox only nearly missed being hit as he quickly scrambled behind Kagome's back.

"Save me Kagome!" He pleaded, his big eyes wide, desperate, and oddly childish.

Inuyasha was about to lunge again when Kagome's commanding voice stilled him. "Inuyasha, stop! Jeez, don't take the bait so easily. I mean come on, you don't need to beat him up for a little teasing. Plus, it's getting in the way of Haruna's work."

Inuyasha's ears laid flat back on his head as he retreated to grumpily sit on the couch. He tucked his legs up under him and crossed his arms against his chest as he stared daggers at the fox demon. Shippo carefully made his way back to his place, looking a bit skittish, before Kagome sucked in a deep breath and scolded him as well.

"As for you, don't go teasing him! You are both adults, aren't you?" She snapped. Inuyasha and Shippo nodded in confirmation. "Then, act like it. Now, Haruna still has another hour with you Shippo so I expect the rest of her study time to go off without a hitch." She huffed.

Haruna covered her mouth with a hand to stifle her small giggle. Inuyasha's ears perked up slightly and angled towards the small sound. Kagome gave her the 'what's that for?' look and Haruna nearly crumbled into a pile of giggles. [Mommy is funny when she's angry.] She signed, her laughter like bubbles — light, momentary, and filled with wonder. Kagome huffed and looked away, but everyone could see the smile on her face.

The rest of the day went swiftly. Shippo stayed for another hour and helped Haruna and after he left the three of them went to the park to play for a while. Inuyasha had chased Haruna around the small area, encouraging her to go at full speed for practice. When she finally tired and he had 'caught' her several times they went to the swings where, with each push, her laughter would fill the air as she begged him to push her even higher. He loved it. He loved teaching her how to better her demonic abilities. He loved running with her. He loved pushing her so high that her laughter assaulted his ears in the most pleasurable manner.

He simply loved making Haruna happy. He would do anything for her, literally anything, and should anyone dare hurt his pup… Well, it was best not to think of the gruesome things he would do to them.

When night finally fell they returned to the apartment and Kagome made them dinner. Soon, Haruna was falling asleep. Her head bobbing as she tried to keep her eyes open. Finally, after she had nearly fallen asleep on top of her plate of pasta, Inuyasha picked her up and carried her to her room. With all the exercise at the park and her studying earlier the little pup was exhausted. He got her changed into her pajamas and tucked her into bed, making sure to give her the stuffed dog that Sesshomaru had gifted her, before he kissed her lightly on the forehead and turned off the light. She was asleep before he even left the room, the sound of her steady breathing making him smile.

He would never take that sound for granted. Never. It was extremely precious to have a healthy pup, many people weren't nearly as lucky. Things could have gone so differently. Memories of her in the hospital ruefully invaded his mind, haunting him with images of a tube being forced down her throat and the panic he had felt when her heart monitor had stuttered. He could have lost her. They could have lost her…

But, they didn't. They were damn lucky.

When he walked back into the living room Kagome turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "We need to talk." Her voice was soft, but her words made his heart start to dance. He tried not to let his sudden nerves show as he slid onto his usual spot on the couch.

"Yea, we do." He finally managed to say. She simply stared at him, her big eyes never leaving as she seemingly traced his entire body. He fidgeted under her gaze and turned to look away, desperately trying to hide his sudden blush.

"I left Daichi." She began, the statement making his heart flutter even more. He cursed himself for his wild feelings and his lack of self-control as his ears perked up more. He heard her shuffle slightly on the couch and glanced over at her through his bangs to see that she had turned to look away from him. Exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in he finally allowed himself to look at her again. Her black hair shimmered in the faint light from the lone lamp that was turned on. She looked nervous, her fingers nervously fidgeted, and the distinctly sharp scent of her worry invaded his nose. She cleared her throat and looked back at him. "So, um, I wanted to talk to you about when I should return to work…" The sudden change in topic threw him for a loop and it took him a minute to switch mental gears. "I think… I think I want to wait until Haruna goes back to school. I know I said that I needed to get back to work, but she needs me Inuyasha." Her pleading eyes met his and he gulped. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to take away all of her worries, but that wasn't his place, not yet at least.

"It's only a month anyway. That fox-shit seems very optimistic about when she will go back." Inuyasha smirked while Kagome frowned at his use of foul language.

"Are you really going to work for Sesshomaru?" Her innocent question startled him somewhat and he shifted uncomfortably. He really, truly, utterly hated accepting help from his brother. But, he needed to. He would do anything for Haruna.

"Keh." He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Yea, that bastard offered me a job. It has decent pay and loads of insurance. It would be good for Haruna. My part-time job isn't gonna cut it anymore." He admitted as his self-loathing at his inadequacies stormed his brain and taunted him.

"It was nice of him to offer, though, don't ya think?" Her eyebrows were raised questioningly, as if she was unsure of the correct answer.

"I guess. He only did it cause Rin told him to. Doesn't change anything between us."

Kagome smiled. "Of course it doesn't." She said softly. "Why would your brother helping you when you need it most change anything between the two of you?" She teased.

He growled slightly. "Shut it, wench." He sputtered, the smirk on his lips betraying his lack of actual frustration.

The air between them slowly became tense and the smell of her nerves was starting to get to him. She kept looking over at him, fidgeting with her fingers, and glancing down at the floor by her feet. His heart couldn't handle much more of this. His ears were attuned to every single one of her small movements, each of them grating on his nerves in new and irritating ways. Finally, with a puff of loud air, she spoke again.

"You kissed me." She still wasn't looking at him.

He grunted.

She slid across the couch until she was within inches of him. Then, before his brain could catch up to what was happening, her left hand had darted out to grab his right one. It felt so nice, the soft pressure of her hand in his and the feel of her silky skin. His fingers slipped through hers as he squeezed slightly, his nose taking in a discreet sniff of her scent as he devoured her delicious smell. She squeezed his hand back and the dance his heart had been doing turned into a damned jig. He groaned internally as he tried to keep his face composed.

"I…" Kagome sputtered, her face going bright red. "I don't even know where to start…" She exhaled, her head lowering so that her hair covered her face.

He tightened his grip on her hand ever-so-slightly making her turn up to look at him again. "From the beginning." He watched as she tried to fight the smile that tugged at her lips from his cliché words. He nudged her slightly with his elbows and that was all it took for her smile to finally spread whole-heartedly across her face.

"Ha-ha." She fake laughed as she rolled her eyes at him. He simply smirked, glad to have lightened the situation at least somewhat. She turned so that she was glancing the other direction, seemingly unable to face him when she said her next words. "I still don't trust you, ya know." His grip loosened on her, but she tightened her hold. She turned back to capture him with her eyes and he felt trapped beneath her fierce gaze. "I trust you with Haruna. You have proven time and time again that you are a great Dad. Haruna loves you." Kagome smiled and leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. He stiffened instantaneously and only relaxed once Kagome's thumb started rubbing soft circles on the back of his hand. He turned his head slightly so that he could discreetly take in a big whiff of her hair. It helped to calm the mass of nerves that were knotted in the pit of his stomach. "I don't trust you with my heart yet. I just can't seem to get over our past."

"That was nothing." He snapped, anger at himself for his stupidity in the past rising up inside him with a heated fury.

"It wasn't nothing." She shot back. It was quiet again for a while, his heartbeat so loud that he wouldn't be surprised if even her weak human ears could pick it up, considering how close she was to his neck right now. "Inuyasha, you broke me."

The pain in her voice made him want to go back to the past and tear himself into little, bitty, indecipherable pieces. "I know…" He relented, hating to admit to the immense pain that he had caused her. Her grip on his hand tightened momentarily before it loosened again, as if she was reassuring herself of his presence.

He would never leave. He would never ever leave Kagome or Haruna. He knew that from the bottom of his heart and it would take a long time, he was sure, to prove that to the woman leaning against him.

"I hated myself, Kagome. I knew as soon as I left that I had made a mistake." His pain etched his voice and he mentally cursed himself once again for showing his weakness.

"Then why didn't you come back?"

The question hung there silently begging to be answered. He gulped as he steadied his nerves to own up to the complete bastard he had once been. "I was stupid, I was foolish, I was an inconsiderate asshat who couldn't see what was right in front of me. I almost turned back, but this stupid voice in my head told me not to." He took a minute as he collected himself, his anger continuing to rise and snake up through him, its venom eating away at his nerves as a painful fire took its place. "I was a typical, hormonal, brat of a boy who wanted to see what all the fuss was about." He lifted his other hand and ran it though his hair. "Fuck…" He muttered as his hand slightly shook from the anger trapped within him. In a sudden burst of honesty, he ranted some of the thoughts he kept bottled up inside himself. "I tried to find you about three months after everything happened. I tried your phone, your email, your old apartment, and I even asked Sango for your new address…" He huffed. He was not going to admit that he had literally begged the brown-haired woman for information on Kagome…

She stiffened slightly. "I blocked you, changed my email, and moved before I even knew that I was pregnant. I had to change phone companies so I couldn't even keep my old number in the first place. I…" Her fingers twitched against his and he squeezed her hand back reassuringly all while his own anger gushed through him like a raging waterfall. "I should have just told you straight… About being pregnant… I was just so scared, I felt so broken Inuyasha… You have no idea how broken I was." He could hear it in her voice, all the years of pain hat she had endured from his childish and naive actions. With a shattered-sounding sigh she continued. "There's nothing we can do about the past… You didn't really love me and that's something I just have to accept."

Yep, now he just wanted to punch something, anything, to relieve the self-hatred that had boiled up inside himself. "Don't say that…" he growled threateningly. Kagome leaned back from him slightly so that she could look up at his face and instantly he missed the warmth of her head on his shoulder. "I loved you… I was just too stupid to realize how much."

She gasped, her mouth forming a perfectly adorable little 'o' as his words crashed down upon her. "Inuyasha…" She almost whispered, his name floating on her voice like a wish. He felt his hope flutter once again in his chest and he gently tugged on her hand so that she would lean against him once more. As soon as her head once again gently rested upon his shoulder he growled low and contentedly.

"Never say I didn't love you…" He whispered, his voice slightly gravely. His heart began to pound and he knew that it was now or never for him to open up, at least a bit, so that she knew the intentions that lied deep within his soul. He wanted her. He wanted Haruna. He wanted this life together with them, as a family. He lifted his other hand to gently run his clawed fingers through her long black hair. She sighed and leaned slightly more into his shoulder. He took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm himself. "I want this… I want you… Kagome, I still…"

She let go of his hand and pressed one finger against his lips to shush him, stilling the admission that was about to pour out from him. "I'm not ready…" She whispered. His heart thundered away as he felt a small crack rip through his insides. "It's not that I don't…" She trailed off and leaned back so that she could catch his gaze. When he wouldn't look at her, she reached up with her other hand to gently cup his chin and turn his head to face her. His breath caught in his throat when their eyes connected. Her lips were mere inches from his own. He could feel his lips tingling, the need to kiss her again nearly engulfed him, the heat in her own eyes only serving to spark the need that sprang up within his belly. She wetted her lips with her little pink tongue and he nearly groaned. Her hand dropped from his chin to lightly graze against his chest. The small pressure from her fingertips pressed almost lovingly against him made his hope wash over him in waves as his own wanton need continued to grow.

"Kagome…" His voice was so soft and low that he nearly whispered it, her name a desperate plea on his lips.

She smiled warmly at him. "It's not that I don't feel something, Inuyasha…" He gulped, his eyes desperately searching her own for clues. "I know that it may sound silly, or even childish, but it still hurts me. Our past still hurts me. But, I want to believe that I can let go. I want to believe that I can trust you with everything again…" Her hand moved away from his chest and he instantly missed the pressure until he felt her slim finger began gently tracing his lips. Now, it was taking every ounce of his willpower not to simply lean in and kiss her.

This had to be her choice.

He couldn't make it for her, he couldn't force her into it. This time around he would play by her rules. He was the one who had royally screwed up everything in the past. This time, for now at least, she deserved to call the shots. This was going to be her decision, whether or not to let him back into her heart.

"I just… For now, I want to put Haruna first. I need to think. If we did this Inuyasha and if something went wrong, it would hurt Haruna so much…" She trailed off and her hand dropped from his lips as she gently pulled her other one out of his firm grasp. Her eyebrows knitted together with worry and he couldn't help her worry from leaching into him as well. If they did this, and he damn sure hoped that they did, nothing could go wrong. If something did go wrong… Haruna… He cringed. If something did go wrong between them, Haruna could be caught in the crossfire. No… He shook his head. Nothing would go wrong. Not on his end. Not this time. He wanted Kagome. He wanted every bit of her.

He belonged to her, it was that simple.

This time, he was the one to reach out and gently turn her to face him. She leaned her cheek against his slightly calloused hand and he relished the feeling. "Nothing would go wrong." Her worried eyes rose to meet his and he could see the doubt that still lingered there.

They would have to wait, wait until that doubt had vanished, before they could truly try again.

"You need to realize that for yourself…" A rare moment of complete clarity overtook him and he muttered the next words daringly and almost without thinking. "Think Kagome… Think about us… Let's focus right now and get Haruna back to school, after that we can…"

"Decide?" She supplied. He could hear her heightened heart rate and he smirked slightly. She sounded slightly out of breath and he couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in the way his words made her feel slightly faint.

"Yea…" He stated. His smirk fell and he dropped his hand from her cheek and stood up. When he had reached her apartment door he stopped and looked over his shoulder at the woman who had silently followed him. "Oh, and Kagome, one last thing…"

"Inuyasha, don't say it…"

"I love you." He smirked as he watched the shock of his words settle over her and relished in the sweet, sweet sound of her heart rate rising to nearly unsafe levels. Then, he simply turned and walked away, fading into the deep dark night like he had never been there to begin with.

He would wait. He would be patient until Haruna went back to school. After that, all bets were off. He hurried home and was thankful when he was finally able to fall back into his own bed. Sure, he would have preferred, a million times over, to be snuggled in with Kagome. But, for now, this was ok. At least, since he had uttered his confession as he was exiting the apartment, she didn't get the chance to see the sheer panic and self-doubt that had infiltrated his face. He wasn't nearly as calm and confident as his outward demeanor in that moment would have suggested. He sighed and moaned as he flipped over and shoved his head deep into his fluffy pillow.

Suddenly, the weight of the words he had told her fell down upon him. He had actually admitted that he loved her. He had told her… His chest tightened in an uncomfortable and semi-painful way as he replayed that moment again and again in his head. How in the world was he going to act normal around her after that? He had said he loved her, but who knew if she loved him back?

"What the fuck did I do?" The pillow muffled his words and he groaned as he fell into an extremely fitful and nerve wrought sleep.

The next month seemed to pass in an instant. Shippo was over often and Haruna greedily soaked up the knowledge that he offered. His bickering with Shippo… Well, that never ceased. In the end, Shippo would end up scurrying behind Kagome to protect him from the big bad dog which only made Inuyasha growl and slink back to his usual spot on the couch with Haruna's laughter filling the air. Things were okay. Well, unless he was alone with Kagome, then things were extremely awkward. She would avoid eye contact at all cost and would slide away from him if he began to approach her. She was nervous. He got that. But, still… It hurt. It hurt to see her shy away from him when he just wanted to give her the world. He knew that she was thinking over everything, that she was debating if she could actually trust him again, and he knew that he needed to give her time. Rushing her… It wouldn't end well for him. Still, he was never known for his patience and ignoring that he had told her those three little words was starting to wear at him. As each day ticked by he was getting more fidgety. Every night when he laid in his bed his mind would wander back to that moment and his heart would seize up.

He needed to know… Did she love him too?

Work helped to steady him. Sure, the job that Sesshomaru had provided wasn't all that fascinating, but it helped to distract him from the constant ache in his heart. At the moment, he was being slowly shuffled through all the varying departments that would be under his control. He would be a member of the lower-level management team of the manufacturing department. Nothing too fancy. But, for the first three months, he had to try his hand at each of the job types that would be under his watch. According to the stuffy upper member of the company who had informed him of this, this was to make sure that he could understand and appreciate the common employee's job. Whatever… Three months wasn't that long and then he could fully take on the position that Sesshomaru had offered. It still peeved him, having to rely on his brother. But, he couldn't deny how grateful he was. Plus, on the bright-side, he didn't even work in the same building as Sesshomaru. The manufacturing department was large enough to warrant its own rather large space.

Still, not knowing Kagome's answer, or even her real feelings, was like a festering wound that utterly refused to heal. Each time he saw her a piece of him would break a little more. He knew that they were doing the right thing putting Haruna first… But, he wasn't sure how much more him and his constantly wavering patience could take. With the help of his new insurance they were able to afford Haruna the microphone she needed for class. It would be connected to the collar of the teacher's shirt and then the teacher's voice would be transmitted electronically to Haruna's earpiece. Plus, Shippo had offered to take on the role of Haruna's translator in class. That night, after his announcement, they had all gone out for a celebratory dinner that was filled with Inuyasha's scowls and everyone else's laughter. Even though the runt got on his nerves, even he had to admit that Shippo was a lifesaver when it came to Haruna's education.

Finally, as the month was coming to a close, Shippo officially announced that Haruna had been given permission to return to school. Haruna had immediately turned into a blubbering mess of tears as she darted forward to hug the fox. Her little quivering lip was simply adorable as she fisted her hands tightly into Shippo's shirt. The smell of tears stung his nose but, for once, it didn't bother him. These were happy tears. He glanced over at Kagome only to see a few falling down her cheeks as well and without even realizing what he was doing he had stepped up beside her and wiped her tears away with the pad of his thumb. She had looked up at him, doe-eyed, and mumbled a 'thank you' while he had simply blushed and turned away.

The night before Haruna was to return to school they decided to have a celebratory party at Sango and Miroku's place. Everyone showed up. Even Sesshomaru, Rin, and Satoshi. He had begrudgingly invited his brother solely because Haruna had begged to see her cousin again. Now, the children were running around outside, the babies were laying on a play-mat beside various toys, and the smell of good food hung heavy in the air. Inuyasha's eyes traced Haruna's path outside as she played with Ama and Chiho. They had made up, thankfully, and were seemingly getting along great once again. Kagome, Sango, and Rin had just stepped outside to go and corral the exuberant children so that they could eat, leaving the men in the living room to watch over the gurgling babies. Sesshomaru's eyes were fixed upon Satoshi and Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the dog-ears gracing the pup's head.

"I think they're going to be friends." Miroku smirked. The two baby boys were squirming towards each other, their little hands reaching out for the other, both fascinated by the new small person they had met.

"Hn." Sesshomaru stated, giving his typical lacking response.

Inuyasha wanted to say something to tease his brother, and he was about to make a quip about Satoshi's ears, when he bothered to look at Sesshomaru's face and was startled by what he could see leaking through his typical stoic mask.

Love, pure and unadulterated love.

Inuyasha grumbled. He couldn't tease him then. As much as he wanted to rub it in that Sesshomaru's pup had the supposed defect that Sesshomaru had bullied him over for years, he simply couldn't do it. Sesshomaru understood now, he understood what it was like to love something for completely irrational reasons and have that small person become your everything. His eyes drifted out to land upon Kagome. She was currently running after a speeding Haruna, both of their laughter danced in the wind as mother tried to catch daughter. He wasn't even aware of the warm smile that had begun to spread across his face, or that Sesshomaru had stopped watching the pups and had turned his steely eyes onto him instead.

"Coward." Sesshomaru's voice broke him from his trance and he turned accusatory eyes onto his half-sibling.

"What did you say?" He couldn't help but snap. He had a short fuse these days. Well, an even shorter fuse than usual.

"Must I repeat myself?" Sesshomaru's snide remark grated on his nerves and he felt his knuckles crack as he prepared himself to lunge.

"Now, now, boys. We don't want to ruin this day for Haruna, do we?" Miroku's kind voice chided in making Inuyasha relax his muscles and reflexively lean away from his silver-haired brother.

"Keh." He pouted.

Miroku seemed like he was about to butt in and say something but, oddly, Sesshomaru beat him too it. "You should tell her."

Inuyasha nearly tipped over in shock, but he managed to steady himself with a modicum of dignity as he turned to look down at the babies. "I did…" He quietly admitted.

"You what?" Miroku gaffed. His voice slightly loud and grating on both of the demons' sharp ears. Inuyasha shot him a look.

"I told her." He re-iterated.

"Good." Sesshomaru chimed in. His voice was demanding in its approval which made Inuyasha squirm slightly. Sesshomaru's approval was something he had never expected to obtain, on even the smallest matter.

"Well, what did she say?" Miroku eagerly questioned. Inuyasha's lips fell into a small frown as his eyes once again searched for Kagome running around in the yard.

"Nothing. She hasn't said how she feels. We're waiting until Haruna goes back to school."

Miroku looked at him, his eyes filled with concern, as he walked over and patted his friend on the back. Which, of course, only managed to irritate the half-demon and make Sesshomaru smirk at his brother's newfound irritation. "My friend, don't worry, I"m sure that she feels the same way. She is probably just scared."

Inuyasha huffed and didn't say anything.

By then, the girls were all coming back inside and the party resumed in full-force. Mass amounts of food were consumed, children played, babies babbled, adults talked about their children and any random topic that just so happened to appear. It was a good night. By the time they were heading out little Haruna was completely exhausted and falling asleep in the back of the car before she was even buckled in. Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at his pup. He looked up and spied Rin getting into Sesshomaru's vehicle after strapping in their pup. He would have to thank her sometime for the job, just preferably when his half-brother wasn't so damn close. Inuyasha wasn't the biggest fan of showing emotion around the stoic Sesshomaru if he could avoid it. He slid into the car and began the quiet drive home. Kagome stared out the window, seemingly lost in thought, for the entire drive. He tightened his hands so much around the steering wheel that his knuckles turned white and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from demanding an answer from her.

It wasn't much longer now. Haruna would be back to school tomorrow and then, finally, they could have a real talk.

When they got to the apartment Inuyasha carried Haruna up to her room and tucked her under the covers. She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes and the stench of her nerves hit him full force as her small hands shook slightly. She reached out for him and he quickly crawled into bed with her. She curled herself up against his chest, her small face burrowing into his shirt. He ran his hand through her hair and rumbled deep within his chest. Eventually, the soothing vibrations lulled her back to sleep. But, her grip on his shirt never faded. She was so nervous to be going back to school after being away for so long. Yes, she was thrilled, of course she was beyond excited to go back. But, still, the fear of people possibly teasing her because she was different had been evident ever since the twins had reacted poorly. Inuyasha tightened his hold on his pup. Nothing would happen to her, absolutely nothing.

He would make sure of it.

Haruna's door creaked open and Kagome popped her head into the room. His ears flicked towards her, but his gaze didn't waver from the pup held securely in his arms. "Can I stay?" His voice was soft.

"Yea, you can say." He could feel her gaze upon him and it made him shudder. Just what was she thinking? Haruna was going back to school tomorrow, had she finally come to a decision? "Night, Inuyasha." She whispered as she exited the room.

"G'night, Kagome." He muttered against Haruna's silver hair as he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. His own nerves over Haruna returning to school and Kagome's decision swamped him long into the night, making sleep impossible as he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart and the frantic thoughts of self-doubt that swirled around his head.

When morning finally came, the bright orange tendrils of the sun just peeking over the horizon, Haruna was already wide awake and busying herself with getting ready. He watched from a distance, giving her the space she needed to mentally prepare herself for the day to come. Her face constantly flittered through a series of emotions, happiness and fear being the top two that he could decipher. They ate a large breakfast of chocolate strawberry crepes with scrambled eggs as Kagome chatted away to fill the empty void caused by the slowly rising tension. Soon, they were both holding one of Haruna's hands and walking her to school. Their usually boisterous pup now quiet and contemplative as the school gradually came into sight. He squeezed her hand a little tighter and she turned her big golden eyes up to look at him. She looked so unsure… So very nervous… That it was breaking his heart. When they were finally at the entrance to the school he stopped and knelt down at eye level with his beautiful pup and Kagome wrapped a protective arm around Haruna's shoulders.

[Listen.] He couldn't help but feel a bit of pride at how far his sign language had come in the last month and was extremely grateful for it in this moment. [You are strong, you are beautiful, you are our pup. No matter what happens today, we love you.]

Haruna's eyes watered slightly and he poked her forehead gently to make her smile. She scoffed at him and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand, but she did smile slightly. [I'm scared.]

[I know, but you can do this. You are so smart. Don't let any jerks get in the way of that.]

Haruna giggled at him. [They're not jerks.]

"Keh." Inuyasha puffed. [Plus, you have your teacher Ms. Kaede and Shippo will be there.]

Kagome kneeled down as well, removing her arm from around Haruna and grabbing both of her hands instead. She squeezed them tight for a moment before she gently leaned against Inuyasha for balance and let go so that she could sign to her daughter.

[You can do this Haruna. We believe in you. Show them just how amazing you are.] Kagome smiled and then tilted her head towards the entrance where a kind-looking old woman stood waiting patiently. [Look, Ms. Kaede is already waiting for you. I bet Shippo is already inside. Be brave, our strong girl.] With that Haruna rushed forward into both of their arms and they devolved into one giant hug, it was nearly impossible to tell where one began and another ended. They were a family. This was his family, and he would protect it with all that he had. Haruna untangled herself from them and waved goodbye as she took those first few hesitant steps up towards Ms. Kaede who took her hand and guided her into the building.

"She's going to be ok, right?" Kagome asked, her voice wavering. They were both standing up now and her hand had worked its way into his, their fingers intertwined, the mere sensation making hope fluter through him.

"Yea, she'll be alright. No matter what, she's got us."

Kagome's hand tightened around his for a moment as they both stood and stared at the door that Haruna had disappeared to. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand, quelling her nerves, and bringing about a whole new storm of his own. Finally, after they heard the first school bell ring, she broke from her trance and leaned against him, her weight a welcome heat that made his nerves come to life even more. She turned her head and looked up at him, her gaze colliding with his own, as his breath caught in his throat. His grip tightened on her hand as her eyes held him captive for the millionth time since they had reunited.

She quirked her head a bit and smirked. "Now what?"

~Author's Note~

Sorry for the slight delay in getting this chapter out. Due to my increased workload and a few events coming up I may only be able to update once per week. But, I promise to try to update twice! Just wanted to give you a heads up.

So, did you like the chapter?

Thank you so much to those who reviewed the Short that I posted from Sesshomaru's POV. It was great to know that I didn't completely screw up trying to nail down his character. He sure is a hard one to write, but so much fun!

Please, review. It really encourages me to get the chapters out even faster.

What do you think will happen next? I really hope that you enjoyed the chapter.

~FeudalAi


	16. Chapter 15

As soon as her words left her mouth a sudden jolt of nerves washed through her as butterflies invaded her stomach. The entire month that they had been preparing Haruna to go back to school she had tried to focus every thought on her little girl. Still, her mind had wandered to Inuyasha. What would it be like to be together with him again? He clearly wanted it. He had even said… Her cheeks flushed as the memory of him saying, 'I love you,' for the first time in six years pressed to the forefront of her mind. She involuntarily gulped. His golden eyes were diving into her soul and she still wasn't sure if she could jump with him. His hand tightened around hers own once again and she found her brain scrambling for an escape. She gently pushed away from him and took one stumbling step backwards. Her hands were shaking as she pulled them from his own and began to forcibly pat down the front of her shirt in order to calm her nerves. What was she doing? She was screaming at herself for her cowardly retreat. She dared look up only to be greeted by his confusion, his head utterly adorably quirked as she fought back her feelings with every ounce of power she had.

She had a month to prepare for this…

She thought that she was ready… Yet, her she was, hesitating once again.

She chewed on her bottom lip as various scenarios of their future swirled through her mind. Her hands were still shaking. Why couldn't she stop shaking? Her brain was scattered. It felt like her heart was beating a million miles a minute and sweat soon began to glaze her palms. Her breaths started to come quicker and a sudden sharp ache in her upper chest warned her of what was happening…

Was she seriously about to have a panic attack?

Inuyasha bent down, slightly awkwardly, to duck into her field of vision. Golden eyes met hers as he reached out a hand and, with one finger, gently pulled out the lip that she had been biting. "Don't do that, Kagome…" He gently chastised. His voice was so soft and warm that it only made her mental spiral intensify.

What was she doing?

Why the hell wasn't she saying anything?

As her frustration at her inner turmoil continued to grow so did the pain in her chest and the rapidness of her breaths. His silver ears twitched and a moment later she was enveloped in his warm embrace, his hand rubbing the back of her head soothingly. She dug her face into his chest, her fingers griping the material of his shirt tightly, as her breaths began to slowly steady.

"It's ok…" He muttered. She couldn't understand his actions. Why was he being so understanding? Why wasn't he demanding an answer? Why was he…

Because he loved her.

He really, really loved her.

She nearly wanted to face palm, but instead she simply dug herself in a little closer to him and inhaled the scent that was simply Inuyasha and let the smell of him wash over her. It was calming and exciting all at once. When she had herself back under control she once again separated herself from him. His instant frown was not missed by her carefully evaluating eyes.

The fog inhabiting her mind cleared slightly and with her heart still beating at a somewhat worrisome rate, her own anger at herself for her inability to act consuming her, she quickly changed the topic to something safe. "So, first things first… I need to start working again. Yep, I definitely need to do that." She laughed nervously as a hand fidgeted through her long hair. He looked frustrated by the change of potential topics and his frown increased slightly. He looked freakishly like his brother in that moment. "Hopefully, that place that I had found will still take me on. Um…" She glanced at him, his ears were focused solely on her and it made her slight blush intensify, the heat radiating down through her nervous body. "Don't you need to be getting to work?" She smiled innocently up at him, but he wasn't buying it.

"Kagome…" He growled out, slightly threateningly.

She simply widened her fake smile, her face hurting from the effort. "I don't want you to be late."

He huffed and crossed his arms. "I work the night shift tonight with the manufacturing team. Remember? I'm rotating through each job?"

She stilled, her muscles tensing with her embarrassment. "Oh… Oh yea." She muttered. She glanced towards Haruna's school and a sudden escape plan hit her. "We should have a special dinner for Haruna tonight, don't ya think?" She turned back to look at him and this time she was smiling sincerely.

He looked slightly taken aback and he lowered his arms to his sides, his defensive posture fading away. "Uh, yea, she'd like that I guess." He scratched the back of his head and his ears twitched, as if searching for the sound of their daughter.

Kagome clapped her hands together excitedly. This was it. This was what she could focus on while she got her frantic thoughts and frayed nerves put back together to finally fess up to her feelings. A perfect family dinner, maybe a cartoon with Haruna too, would be the perfect thing to calm her nerves and to let her focus on all the good. Once Haruna was tucked into bed then she would confess. Her heart sputtered again at the thought. She knew what she wanted…

She wanted him.

She was still a bit scared. She couldn't seem to completely shake that last tendril of doubt that lingered in her with a vice grip. It stuck its fangs into her and poisoned what they could possibly share… It was still there, but she was no longer willing to let it rule her. She wanted him. She wanted this. She still loved him…

… And that's why the possibility of getting truly hurt was ten-fold and it scared her shitless.

Still, she needed to stop being a coward and take the jump. Having a celebratory night with just their little family would be the perfect way to start, the perfect way to calm her nerves, and the perfect way to dispel that last bit of lingering fear.

"I'll make all her favorites! Like home-made mac-and-cheese, extra cheesy, with sloppy joes, and some extreme chocolate brownies with whipped chocolate frosting." Inuyasha was nearly salivating at the thought of all that food and she couldn't help but giggle at him. "Well, since you don't have to work, come grocery shopping with me." She hooked her arm through his and heard him groan slightly. He knew what 'grocery shopping' meant. It meant that he was going to wind up carrying her massive pile of heavy bags. "Ah, come on." She nudged him with her elbow and tightened her grip around his arm. "It'll be fun…" She waggled her eyebrows at him and he smirked before falling into the laugh that he had been trying to hold back. She simply leaned into him more, cherishing his warmth, and hoping that it would steady the nerves that were still screaming inside of her.

How could she possibly be this nervous when he had already told her that he loved her?

Yet, here she was, a complete nervous wreck.

The grocery store was only a few blocks away. It was yet another reason why Kagome loved where her small apartment was located. Location really was everything. It wasn't a huge grocery store, but it was well stocked and always had a massive influx of customers from the surrounding area, especially due to its 'Ethnic' food section that carried exotic items that could not be found at any other close stores. The walk was peaceful. The cold was really starting to bite now and she leaned closer into Inuyasha's warmth. Winter was here. This area never really got snow, but it did get bitterly cold. The cold would cut through to your bones and it often left her hands and feet feeling like icicles as her teeth chattered away. But, Inuyasha was like her own personal outdoors space heater. Her slightly chilled hands pressed against his arm to soak in the heat through his shirt and she bemoaned forgetting her gloves. Finally, they stepped inside the automatic doors of the grocery store and were met with a wave of heat that warmed her grateful skin. She could tell that her cheeks had turned slightly red from the bite of the wind. Inuyasha let go of her and walked over to the side to grab a cart. When he rejoined her he stopped, took a moment to mule something over, then reached out his right hand to gently rub his thumb over her left cheek. His touch sent tingles down her chilled body.

"Why didn't you tell me you were cold?"

Her eyes were glued on him as she relished in the feeling of his hand gently warming her cheek. "It's not a big deal, I just need to remember my gloves and jacket next time."

"Keh." He frowned slightly. "Stupid woman…" She was about to protest him calling her 'stupid' when he quickly leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her other cheek, right where the cold had dyed it red. When he leaned back he blushed slightly and removed his hand before pushing the cart towards her as he tried to cover up his moment of tenderness with his now brisk attitude. "Here, you push the cart."

She grabbed the cart and looked at him in awe before thoughts of all the preparations that she had to make for Haruna's impromptu congratulatory dinner tonight took over her mind. Determination set in and she narrowed her eyes at the aisles as if assessing an enemy. "We have a lot to do…" She muttered under her breath as she quickly evaluated their best possible routes around the store. She settled on a path and pushed the cart forward eagerly. "Let's go!" She shouted it with all the determination of a soldier heading off to war.

The grocery trip was going fairly well. Inuyasha could reach the boxes on the high shelves for her. They mostly remained quiet as she pushed the cart single-mindedly through each aisle that she needed. She could feel him watching her and it only spurned her on more. He would chime in once in a while, mostly when she was on her tip-toes and still couldn't reach the specific item that she wanted. They were nearing the end of the list of things they needed, now in the refrigerated section, as she picked out a package of ground beef. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the package and she sighed as she picked up a second one, making him smirk. Of course, with Haruna's and his appetite she would probably need at least that much. It was right then, with a package of cold meat in both of her hands, that she spotted a woman right behind Inuyasha… A woman who was staring at her with death in her eyes… A woman who looked freakishly like her, just a bit slimmer with sharper features.

Kagome froze.

She nearly dropped the meat as the woman narrowed her eyes. Inuyasha noticed her frozen state and slowly his head turned to look, his nose wrinkling in what appeared to be disgust, before his eyes landed upon Kagome's look-a-like.

"Kikyo?" He said in disbelief.

Kikyo placed one hand on her hip and stared at him defiantly. "Hello, Inuyasha. Long time no see."

Kagome's heart was on a tail-spin as her mind tried to catch up to what she was seeing. One thing was for certain though. As surprised as he had looked when he realized who was standing near them, he also looked completely pissed. She could feel her own anger at the woman bubbling up in the pit of her stomach. This was who hid the letters… This was who had kept Inuyasha from Haruna…

Still, the pain that wrapped around her heart was a lot stronger than her anger. This was the woman that he had spent years with… This was the woman that he had been engaged to… This woman, who looked so much like her, was someone he had loved.

Inuyasha's small growl broke her from her trance and she placed the packages of meat into their cart in a daze. "What are you doing here?" He snapped.

Kikyo frowned slightly, her sharp facial structure making the small movement even more prominent. "I'm shopping. It is a grocery store."

Kagome noticed his hands ball into fists and she couldn't quite understand his reaction. He seemed so angry, maybe even too angry? Did he still have feelings for Kikyo? Underneath all of that anger, did some part of him still love her? That small tendril of doubt grew in its intensity until it was all that she could focus on, all that she could see, as she watched the interaction between the two.

"You don't live anywhere near here, Kikyo." Inuyasha looked absolutely territorial and it sent a bolt of anxiety shooting down her spine.

"So?" She questioned, one of her delicate eyebrows rising ever-so-slightly. "I can shop wherever I want."

Kagome watched as their eyes met and they seemed lost within a never-ending battle, neither willing to concede to the other.

That kind of passion… Did he still love his ex? Her worry doubled as she watched one of his ears twitch towards her, as if checking to make sure that she hadn't been harmed by Kikyo in some way. She scoffed and folded her arms, taking up her own defensive stance, as the walls around her heart began to harden once more. How could they have that kind of passion and not still be in love? Even if that passion was shown in their anger… It was still passion. She gulped, her eyes darting between the two, as she tried desperately to steady her mind.

Kikyo's eyes finally left his only to land firmly upon her. She stood strong, lowering her arms and staring straight back into the woman's cold eyes. She would not be weak in front of her. No matter her inner turmoil, no matter how hurt she was, no matter her fears, she would not show weakness to this woman who had kept Inuyasha from his daughter.

"This is her, then." She stated, not even an ounce of a question hidden within her tone. Still, Inuyasha nodded stiffly in response.

"I'm Kagome. Ka-Go-Me. Got it? Not 'her'." Kagome snapped, her voice firm. She would not have this woman calling her 'her'. She had a name and Kikyo damn well use it before she really snapped.

Kikyo's unwavering gaze met hers disinterestedly. Her thin lips pulled up into a smirk that sent a shiver through Kagome's body. She didn't like that feeling, not one bit. "I've been meaning to talk to you, Inuyasha." Her voice sounded like a drug, pleasant at first but with terrible after-effects. Her words were laced with revenge. Something was coming… Kagome didn't know what… But, something bad was about to happen and she wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Doesn't matter." Kikyo's matter-of-fact tone was extremely grating and Kagome wanted to jump over the shopping cart and punch the girl. This stupid, jealous, selfish girl had hurt her daughter by keeping those damn letters from Inuyasha. Kagome's delicate hands curled into fists as her heart continued to fumble.

Inuyasha's growl was now echoing down the aisle, making other people stop and glance in their direction before hurrying away. "Don't speak to Kagome like that." His voice was so demanding that it shook Kagome to the bone. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise and her tightly clenched fists loosened.

Kikyo's eyes didn't move from her face, even though she subconsciously leaned a bit away from Inuyasha. Kagome was still surprised by what Inuyasha had said, so she was completely unprepared for the devastating words Kikyo spoke next…

"I'm pregnant." Her cold eyes didn't waver from Kagome. Kagome's breath caught in her throat and her hands went slack. Kikyo was pregnant… Did that mean? Her eyes flitted over to Inuyasha's face. He was somehow even angrier than before. A fang popped out over his lips and his jaw was tightly clenched. "I'm around three months pregnant." Kikyo let that fact hang there, daunting Kagome. Kagome visibly winced. Inuyasha's ears flicked toward her and all the panic she had felt earlier managed to triple and she suddenly felt crushed by the weight of the world.

There was a pressure on her chest… It pushed so hard that it was difficult to breathe.

Her hands darted out and griped onto the cart like a lifeline. "I'm going to grab the cheese that I need, I'll meet you by the checkout." She pushed away from them so fast that neither could stop her even if they wanted to. She was just rounding the corner into the dairy section when she heard the beginning of Inuyasha's heated statement.

"Kikyo, you know that…"

By the time the aisles blocked his voice Kagome's eyes were filled with salty water. She focused her mind on Haruna. Her mind was like a photo album, flipping through images of Haruna's life. She cherished those memories. She numbly reached out to grab the cheese that she needed. Kikyo was pregnant…

She steadied her face and forced her thoughts back to her daughter. Haruna saying her first word… Haruna taking her first step… Haruna's first laugh…

Kikyo was pregnant.

Haruna's first day of preschool… Haruna's first drawing… Haruna in her first kimono…

Kikyo was pregnant.

Haruna holding her hand… Haruna dancing… Haruna going back to school…

Kikyo was freaking pregnant!

Somehow she had made her way to the checkout line. She was barely aware of what she was doing. Every action happened without her knowledge. She was handing the cashier her credit card when Inuyasha slid in behind her. He didn't say anything. Kagome finished checking out and Inuyasha grabbed all of her bags without her having to ask. She couldn't even smile at that small act of kindness. She was locked in a daze that wasn't broken until the brisk air bit into her skin. Her eyes widened as her mind came back to her. She glanced at her solemn companion to notice his eyes already watching her every move. He seemed concerned… Something indecipherable lurking in the depths of his eyes. She turned her head away and focused on the path in front of them. They walked in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before he broke it.

"Kagome…" His voice was so tender… Her tears immediately pricked at her eyes again. She knew him. She knew him so well, even though she would like to deny that sometimes. If Kikyo was pregnant with his baby he wouldn't abandon that child. He would have never abandoned Haruna. He should have been there since the moment Haruna was born. So much had been stolen from him… He wouldn't willingly give that up a second time. Plus, she wouldn't want him to.

She wasn't Kikyo. She would never steal his time and keep him away from his child. But, damn, it hurt. It hurt like a raging inferno that devoured her heart and served as a continual reminder of the pain in their past. Her heart gripped as she waited for him to continue. He took a deep, steadying breath before he did, his voice somehow even softer than before.

"It's not mine."

She nearly tripped. Instead, she turned to face him, her face scrunched up in confusion. "How do you…" She didn't even get to finish her question before he rolled his eyes at her, which only made her pain and anger rise.

"You both keep forgetting something." Kagome frowned, not liking being lumped into the same group as Kikyo. He lifted up his right arm, the plastic bags banging against each other as he slid them down his arm so that his finger could point towards his nose. "I have a highly sensitive nose. I can…" He blushed and looked away, staring at a tree to their right instead. "I can smell when a woman is on her, um, period." He sputtered out.

Kagome blushed as well. She had forgotten just how sensitive his nose was. That meant that he knew when she was on her own… Her blush grew, the red deepening, making her nearly immune to the cold of the winter wind. "So? That doesn't mean it isn't yours." He frowned at her before he began to slowly walk again. She kept pace by his side. Her anger, pain, and embarrassment were all fighting each other, each vying for dominance, and she felt torn in so many emotional directions that she felt like a flustered mess.

"She had hers two weeks before I left her."

Kagome's anger was about to win out. He was being so cryptic. Couldn't he just spit it out already? She turned her fiery eyes onto him and he almost winced underneath her chastising gaze. A strong blush dusted his cheeks and he averted his eyes making her think that he wasn't trying to purposefully be evasive, this conversation was just insanely embarrassing for him. Plus, on top of that, it brought up their past and the mistakes that he had made. The mere mention of Kikyo brought pain to them both.

"We didn't… In those two weeks we didn't…" He trailed off, his blush severely staining his face, the red even dotting the tips of his delicate silver ears.

They hadn't had sex. In those two weeks after Kikyo's period they hadn't had sex. Kagome's eyes widened and her own blush felt like it had spread throughout her entire being. "Oh…" They were nearly at the apartment by now and kagome grabbed the keys out of her pocket. "So, it's not yours."

Inuyasha huffed. "No, it's not… If she is pregnant at all."

"Why would she lie about that?" She asked softly as she slid the key into the lock and opened the door, stepping out of the way so that he could step in first with all of the grocery bags. He spoke again just as he passed her.

"Why would she hide the letters?"

Kagome closed the door behind them and followed him into the kitchen. They unpacked the bags in silence. Her mind was spinning. What could make a person lie like that? In the very least, Kikyo had basically lied when she had insinuated that it was Inuyasha's baby. If, on top of that, she had lied about even being pregnant… Seriously, what could make a person lie like that? Kikyo was playing with other people's lives like they were toys and it seriously pissed Kagome off. She did not like people messing with her family!

Her family…

She glanced over at Inuyasha and watched him as he helped her to put away the groceries. She would be able to make the mac-and-cheese ahead of time, but everything else would have to be made once Haruna had gotten home from school. He was nearly studious in his task. Inuyasha and Haruna were her family. Even if Kikyo was pregnant with Inuyasha's baby… Even if that was true… She would still want to be with him. Her eyes widened and her pulse quickened making his ears flick in her direction. Even if Kikyo was having his baby she would still want to be with him. She would still want to try.

Every single one of her nerves danced with her sudden realization. She loved him. She loved him and would want to be with him even if he was having a baby with another woman… The woman who had stolen years of his time with Haruna. She would have welcomed Haruna's half-sibling into her heart, even if it hurt to be around her mother. She loved him and she wanted to be with him, no matter what.

She smiled and bit her lip nervously as she looked away from. That decided it. Screw her tiny shred of lingering doubt. Screw her nerves. It was time to own up to what she felt inside, it was time to stop denying herself the happiness that was right in front of her, it was time to start trusting him again… Tonight, after they had put Haruna down to bed, she would tell him. Tonight, for the first time in six years, she would tell him that she loved him and that she really, truly, wanted to give them a shot.

"Kagome… are you mad?" His voice was so quiet, it was nearly a whisper. She simply smiled and grabbed a package of cheese and tore it open.

"No, Inuyasha. I'm not mad. Really. There is nothing for me to be upset about."

"But…" She heard the question in his tone. But, what about Kikyo? His silent questioned floated between them and she sensed his desperate need to have it answered.

"Kikyo doesn't matter. Pregnant with your child or not, it doesn't change anything between us." She felt him stiffen beside her, clearly unsure what she had meant by that, but he didn't push for more. "What time is your night shift tonight, anyway?"

"Starts at about midnight. They have a small group that works late cleaning up the place, mostly maintenance people, in the manufacturing department. So, I need to leave at about eleven."

Kagome nodded. "That should be plenty of time for our dinner with Haruna, maybe watch something special with her, tuck her into bed, and then you and I can have a chat."

One of his eyebrows arched and his pleased face warmed her heart. "Yea?"

"Yea." She smiled and their eyes held each other until she felt the butterflies in her stomach once again. She turned back to return to her task and couldn't help but mutter out another happy, "Yea."

The rest of the day went fast. Inuyasha went back to his place for a while to grab a change of clothes so that he wouldn't have to stop there on his way to work. Kagome made the mac-and-cheese and the brownies, plus she got everything prepared to cook the sloppy joes. She tidied up around the house and called the place that had wanted to hire her. When they said they would still take her on she felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders. Everything was coming together. Inuyasha met her at the apartment and they walked in comfortable silence to Haruna's school. This time, Kagome remembered her coat and gloves. She also brought a scarf and hat for Haruna just in case she was cold. But, Haruna was more like her Daddy. Kagome doubted that she would be cold in this weather yet. They had just reached the school when a bouncing silver-haired girl raced up to them and jumped… Inuyasha catching her safely in his arms.

Kagome giggled and could have sworn that she saw Haruna's head lean in her direction from the sound, but quickly dissuaded herself of that thought. Even with the hearing aids the sound of her laughter would be far to faint for them to pick up. Kagome walked around so that Haruna could see her and she started to sign. [How was school?]

Haruna's smile said it all. Inuyasha set her down and Haruna's fingers flew. [It was amazing!] She exclaimed before diving into an entire rundown of her first day back. Apparently, she could almost perfectly keep track in class. Shippo had stayed until noon because he had to go back to his university classes. This had been pre-approved with the teacher since Haruna's afternoon classes were art, gym, and study time. She could hear the teacher with the microphone and any words she didn't know Shippo had quickly helped her with. A few girls in class talked to her and only one boy teased her about her hearing aid… Which Shippo quickly shut down, lecturing the boy until he was near tears. Kagome made a mental note to thank Shippo for that. Besides that, the kids were just curious. They wanted to see it, so Haruna would show them it and explain it. Surprisingly, a few of the kids were even jealous that she got to have a 'friend' come to class with her. Haruna spoke with her fingers the entire way home, her entire face was bright with her happiness and it warmed Kagome's heart to see it.

When they finally reached the apartment Kagome told Haruna about her surprise dinner and Haruna hugged her so tight that Kagome nearly couldn't breath until Inuyasha gently pulled the eager child off of her. Kagome laughed it off, but shot Inuyasha a look. Sometime, probably soon, they would need to have a discussion with Haruna about her non-human strength. She was so young, but Kagome could already feel her getting stronger and stronger. Haruna and Inuyasha sat in the living room to do her homework while Kagome got the food ready. Listening to the gentle sound of pencil against paper and hearing Inuyasha try his best to help her with her work only made Kagome more and more sure of her decision.

When they sat down for dinner Haruna and Inuyasha devoured the massive amount of sloppy joes that she had made, plus they managed to eat at least three quarters of the mac-and-cheese. Kagome, on the other hand, only managed to eat one sloppy joe and one small serving of the extra cheesy mac-and-cheese. By the time she put out the brownies the two silver-haired partial demons managed to eat three each before they were slouched back and overstuffed.

[Mommy, that was so good!] Haruna patted her belly in contentment, mimicking her father.

[Good, I'm glad. We wanted to do something a little special to celebrate your first day back at school.]

Haruna yawned as her fingers stumbled to make a coherent response. All of that food was settling in after her long and exciting day, all of a sudden she looked exhausted. [So happy…] She managed to sign.

Kagome smiled softly and bent down to pick up Haruna, who only slightly fussed at being carried like she was a baby. [You will always be my baby girl.] Kagome signed once she had sat Haruna down on her bed. There would be no cartoons tonight, they could do that another night. She felt a presence behind her and she turned to look at Inuyasha who had just stepped into the room. [I think that it's time for bed.]

Haruna frowned slightly. [But, Mommy…] She began to protest.

Inuyasha was by the other side of the bed by now and he gently pushed Haruna down and pulled up the covers. [No arguing. You have school tomorrow again, remember?]

Haruna's eyes fought to stay open, but it was a loosing battle. She gently nodded her head yes and her lips curled up in a sweet smile as she finally lost the battle to stay awake.

"She's exhausted…" Kagome gently ran her hand through Haruna's silver hair, moving it out of her little girl's face.

"She had a busy day, plus all that food was so good. I wish I didn't have to go to work, I'd like to just go pass out on the couch." His golden eyes rose to collide with hers and a silent understanding passed between them. It was time, it was time for their talk. Without another word being said they walked back into the living room and sat on the couch as per usual. Kagome's butterflies swamped her stomach and she could barely look at him. Her fingers were fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and she kept her eyes focused on the floor.

Seriously, she had to get a grip.

His warm hand reached over and grabbed hers, stopping her from fidgeting. She looked up at him and his face was sketched with his own nerves. He had already told her that he loved her. He had already opened the door for her to hurt him. Of course he was nervous. He deserved to be nervous. She was the one being a coward, she just needed to suck it up and tell him the truth. But, first, she had a question.

"Inuyasha, before I tell you my answer, I need to know something." His hand tightened around hers and his ears twitched, but he said nothing. "I need to know why you asked Kikyo to marry you." Just saying that vile woman's name made Inuyasha flinch, but he didn't let go of her hand. His eyes never wavered from her as he responded, they both knew how important this moment was.

"I was scared to make the same mistake twice. I thought I loved her… It wasn't anything compared to how I had felt for you. But… You were gone. I hadn't heard form you in five years and neither had Sango or Miroku. We all thought…" At this he did finally look away, his pain etched across his face, his ears drooping slightly. "We all thought that you didn't care about us anymore. I mean, what were we supposed to think? You just up and disappeared without saying a word. It was really hard on Sango…"

Kagome scooted closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder, incapable of meeting his eyes as her own grief at her childish actions swamped her. "I shouldn't have done that. I was just so scared… I really should have a talk with Sango though, shouldn't I?" She felt him nod and that was all the confirmation that she needed. Apparently, she had caused more damage than she had realized or that Sango had let on to.

"We thought you were gone forever. I knew I didn't love Kikyo like I had loved you, but I didn't wanna screw up again. I was so fucking stupid." He said and slouched back more into the couch, his hand gripping hers tighter as his check came to rest on top of her head. "I pushed it off and pushed it off, but then Sango had Katsuro and I just… I wanted my own family. I figured that I had been with her for so long already that it must be the right choice. Obviously, it was the wrong choice." She heard the anger seep back into his voice at the memory of Kikyo's betrayal. "I was stupid and blind to my own feelings, Kagome." She tried not to, she really tried not to, but she couldn't help but let a giggle slip out. "Hey, what's so funny?" He nudged her slightly and it only made her giggles intensify.

"You've always been ignorant to your own feelings until it's nearly too late, that's nothing new Inuyasha."

"Keh." He scoffed, but she could tell that he was smiling too. It didn't matter… It simply didn't matter anymore that he had been engaged to Kikyo. She loved him and she wanted this, even if Kikyo happened to actually be pregnant with his child, she still wanted this, she wanted him, she wanted their family.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" Her voice was soft, but she knew that his adorable doggy ears would be able to pick up on the sound.

"Yea?"

"Remember when you told me that you love me?" Inuyasha stilled. She felt all of the muscles in his body tense.

She could hear him gulp. "Yea…"

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed into him a bit more. This was it, this was the moment that everything was going to change. She had been so dumb before. She should have called him, she should have visited him, she should have done more than simply send him letters. But, for better or worse this was how things had turned out. He was here. He loved his daughter and her. He loved this family as much as she did, and it was high time that he knew that she still loved him. "I love you too. I always have and I always will."

~Author's Note~

So, this is the last full chapter of "Letters"! Can you believe it?

I will post ONE MORE time on this story. It will be a Short from Haruna's perspective a few months after this chapter and it will basically serve as an epilogue.

I want to thank all of my loyal reviewers. Thank you so very much for reviewing this story!

Please, review! Let me know your thoughts. Did you like the ending? Was it too fast paced (I was worried about pacing)? Was the Kikyo confrontation dramatic enough?

I have two other story ideas in the works. One for Inuyasha and one for Fairy Tail. I'm unsure which to start first, or if I should do them both at once. If you like my writing give me an Author Alert so you know when the next story is posted.

Once again, thank you so much for joining me on this ride. This went from maybe being a 3-part story to 15 chapters and two Shorts. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support.

~FeudalAi


	17. Short - Haruna

Almost Three Months Later…

Haruna groaned as she rolled over in her bed, unwilling to open her eyes and greet the morning. Her parents were being loud and she stuffed her head into her pillow to try and ignore them. Seriously, sometimes they were just so loud. She heard a muffled bang as someone was gently pushed against a wall and she flipped over on her bed, arms and legs spread wide, as she squinted open her eyes to look at her ceiling.

Wait… It was still dark, it wasn't morning yet.

With an annoyed growl that she had learned from her Daddy, she slowly got out of bed and trudged towards her door. It was Saturday and in the morning it was finally her birthday! She would be turning six years old. It was going to be an awesome day with birthday cake, ice cream, and all her friends and family. So, why then were her parents being so noisy and waking her up? She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she pushed open the door. When she finally opened them she was greeted with a sight that made her happy, but also made her want to cringe.

"Ewww, that's gross." She said, using her voice to get their attention instead of signing as she usually did. The two people making out before her stopped and Kagome turned to look at her, her face completely flushed as the smell of her sudden embarrassment flooded down the hallway. Haruna's nose wrinkled up from the unpleasant scent. Inuyasha just turned and stared at her, clearly upset at her interruption, before his face softened at her sleepy appearance. She hadn't wanted to make them embarrassed or mad… They were just being so loud.

[Too loud.] She signed sleepily. Inuyasha looked at Kagome as Kagome's eyes widened slightly.

"We weren't that loud, were we?" Kagome questioned.

[Yes, you were.] Haruna replied as she folded her little arms across her chest defiantly.

Kagome's eyes widened once more and the scent in the room changed to something that Haruna couldn't quite place. A second later, Inuyasha was crouched down on his haunches as he reached a clawed hand up to her hair. Haruna stayed still, but frowned as he pushed her hair behind her ear. She was about to protest him messing with her hair when Kagome's excited shriek pierced her ears. Haruna and Inuyasha both winced and Kagome quickly covered her mouth with her hands as excited giggles burst forth. Inuyasha was just staring at Haruna, his eyes flicking between her face and her ear. She could smell salt and looked up to see Kagome's eyes brimming with tears.

Yep, by now she was completely fed up with her weird parents for the night. All she wanted was some sleep so that she had lots of energy for her big birthday party. She would get to play games with Ama and Chiho, she would get to see little Satoshi whom she loved so very much, and even a few school friends were going to join in the celebration. Haruna was at the top of her class in school, she worked very hard, she deserved to have an awesome sixth birthday party.

[I'm going back to bed.] She signed, turning away from them as she started to march back to her room until Inuyasha's amazed voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Haruna, where's your hearing aid?"

She froze for a moment before realization dawned on her. She hadn't put it back in… It was siting on her bedside table. Her small hand reached up to her ear to feel for the offending device, but it wasn't there. Her eyes widened. Her fingers froze. Tears of joy began to gather in the recesses of her eyes.

"Haruna, my baby girl, can you hear me?"

Haruna turned around slowly, her big eyes glistening with her unshed tears, as her hand fell numbly to her side. She looked at her Mommy and nodded, the tears spilling out with the gentle movement. "I can hear you, Mommy!" She ran into Kagome's already outstretched arms and wrapped herself into her embrace. A moment later and Inuyasha had joined their hug puddle. She could feel Kagome's tears lightly falling on the top of her head, but she didn't care. Inuyasha placed a kiss on the top of her head before he nuzzled in closer against the girls. Haruna just shook, her entire body was shaking and she couldn't control it.

She could hear?

She was so scared… Had she really gotten better or was this all a very cruel dream? She had been hearing things lately, small things… Like she had heard Kagome get out of bed on a few mornings, she had heard Inuyasha's deep purr that soothed her, she had heard the sound of paper on pencil as she did her homework… She had simply thought that she could hear those things because of her fancy hearing aid. Her lip quivered as her tears continued to spill over. She was just so scared, what if this wasn't real and she woke up and couldn't hear again?

"Am I dreaming?" She cried out. They pulled back from her a bit and Inuyasha spun her around to face him before he pinched her arm slightly. "Ouch! What was that for?"

He smirked. "See, you're not dreaming. This is real."

Haruna's small frown turned into a hopeful smile and she felt Kagome's arms come around her from behind as she pulled her against her chest. "I can hear?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You can hear." He poked her in the forehead, which made her smile grow even further. "I knew you could do it."

"Her demonic side really was healing her… All this time…" Kagome mumbled into her hair, coating her silver locks even more with her salty tears.

"Mommy!" Haruna fussed as she pushed herself out of Kagome's arms. "You're getting my hair all wet." She pouted.

Kagome simply laughed and wiped her own tears away. "I'm just so happy."

"Deal with it pup." Inuyasha scooped her up and walked into the living room before he tossed her into the air, making her giggles flow down around them, before he caught her safely in his arms.

"Everyone is going to be so happy…" Kagome smiled as she joined them. She leaned her head lovingly against Inuyasha's shoulder as she peered over at her little girl.

Haruna beamed. Her happiness was overflowing. It shown from her like an effervescent light. She was wide awake now, the excitement of their new discovery making her heart beat fast as her mind tried to race up to her new reality. She had thought that those things that she was hearing were just because of the hearing aid… She hadn't had any clue that her ears were actually healing themselves. That had seemed like too much to wish for, too much to hope for, because it would have only led to heartbreak.

She had accepted being almost completely deaf. She had accepted her new life.

But, now… She nearly felt like a part of her new identity had been torn from her, but even that negative thought couldn't sway the happiness that she felt. Just because she could hear alright now, didn't mean that she had to give up sign language. She loved sign language, it was a part of her.

"What about a big breakfast?"

Haruna's stomach growled at the thought, making Inuyasha laugh. "But, it's night time…" Her big golden eyes rose to look at her parents and her stomach growled again.

"Who cares!" Kagome announced as Inuyasha once again tossed her into the air, filling her stomach with butterflies as her happy laugh cascaded down around them. "We're celebrating. Chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream. Yep, that's what we'll have."

Haruna's giggle continued to light up the still dark room. She could hear. She could really hear… This was the best birthday present ever!

She, officially, loved her birthday.

~Author's Note~

This is the end! I really hope that you enjoyed "Letters".

Please, review and let me know if you liked this story.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, especially my loyal reviewers. It means a lot, you are what kept me writing because I knew that someone, somewhere, liked my story.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Give me an Author Alert if you would like to be notified when I post new stories. I have ideas swirling around in my head and I hope to start writing them soon.

~FeudalAi


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